Asclepias obovata
Asclepias feayi
pineland milkweed
Feay's milkweed, Florida milkweed
1 (rarely more), erect to spreading, unbranched, 40–70(–200) cm, densely hirtellous to velutinous, not glaucous, rhizomes absent.
solitary, erect, unbranched (rarely near base), 20–75 cm, minutely puberulent in a line with curved trichomes to glabrate, not glaucous, rhizomes absent.
opposite, petiolate, with 1 or 2 stipular colleters on each side of petiole;
petiole 1–4 mm, densely hirtellous to velutinous;
blade oblong or elliptic to obovate or ovate, 4–9 × 1–3.5 cm, subcoriaceous, base rounded or truncate to cordate, margins sometimes crisped, apex acute to truncate, sometimes emarginate, often mucronate, venation brochidodromous, surfaces densely hirtellous to velutinous abaxially, hirtellous adaxially, margins ciliate, 8–12 laminar colleters.
opposite, sessile, with 1 or 2 stipular colleters on each side of leaf base;
blade filiform, 2.5–10 × 0.1–0.15 cm, membranous, base cuneate, margins entire, apex acute, venation obscure, surfaces glabrous, laminar colleters absent.
extra-axillary, sometimes also appearing terminal, sessile or pedunculate, 7–31-flowered;
peduncle 0–0.5 cm, densely hirtellous to velutinous, with 1 caducous bract at the base of each pedicel.
terminal, sometimes branched, and often extra-axillary at upper nodes, sessile or pedunculate, 2–7-flowered;
peduncle 0–5 cm, puberulent with curved trichomes on 1 side, with 1 caducous bract at the base of each pedicel.
10–12 mm, densely hirtellous to velutinous.
7–17 mm, minutely puberulent with curved trichomes on 1 side.
erect to pendent;
calyx lobes elliptic, 5–6 mm, apex acute, densely hirtellous;
corolla green, sometimes tinged reddish or bronze, lobes reflexed, sometimes with spreading tips, elliptic, 7–9 mm, apex acute, glabrous abaxially, minutely papillose at base adaxially;
gynostegial column 1–1.5 mm;
fused anthers green, obconic, 2.5–4 mm, wings right-triangular, open at base, apical appendages broadly ovate;
corona segments bronze to yellow, often tinged red, sometimes apically cream or pale, stipitate, tubular, somewhat flattened laterally, flared at base, 5–8 mm, greatly exceeding style apex, apex rounded, flared, glabrous, internal appendage falcate, exserted, sharply incurved over style apex, glabrous;
style apex shallowly depressed, green.
erect;
calyx lobes narrowly lanceolate, 1.5–2.5 mm, apex acute, glabrous;
corolla white, sometimes pale lavender-tinged, inconspicuously striate, lobes spreading, lanceolate, 7–10 mm, apex acute to obtuse, glabrous;
gynostegium sessile;
fused anthers lavender, cylindric, 1.5–3 mm, wings narrowly right-triangular, open at base, apical appendages ovate;
corona segments white, sessile with a basal collar, cupulate, 2.5–4 mm, equaling to slightly exceeding style apex, apex obtuse, glabrous, internal appendage a laterally flattened, included crest, glabrous;
style apex shallowly depressed, lavender.
broadly ovate, 8–9 × 6–7 mm, margin winged, faces smooth;
coma 2–5 cm.
oval, 6–8 × 3–5 mm, margin winged, faces smooth;
coma 3.5 cm.
erect on upcurved pedicels, narrowly to broadly fusiform, 7.5–12.5 × 1.5–2.5 cm, apex acuminate, smooth, densely hirtellous to velutinous.
erect on straight pedicels, fusiform, 9–12 × 0.3–0.6 cm, apex attenuate, smooth, glabrous.
Asclepias obovata
Asclepias feayi
Asclepias obovata is a common milkweed of seasonally wet, sandy soils in pine woodlands of the Gulf Coastal Plain and (rarely) the southern Atlantic Coastal Plain. It is rare and considered to be of conservation concern in Arkansas.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Asclepias feayi is one of a trio of very slender milkweeds in the southeastern United States, along with A. cinerea and A. viridula. These species are divergent in floral morphology, but without flowers they are very difficult to distinguish (even in fruit), and they appear to be close relatives. However, A. feayi occurs primarily in peninsular central and southwestern Florida, from Lake to Collier counties, most commonly in scrub. A single disjunct population has been documented from Clay County in the northeastern part of the state (Hall 1896 [FLAS]). Asclepias cinerea and A. viridula are found in northern Florida or further north, in flatwoods. All three species are cryptic in the absence of flowers and appear to respond positively to fire and rainfall events. They are likely to be more common than is apparent because they are inconspicuous and emerge episodically. Nonetheless, numerous historical locations for A. feayi have been developed and are no longer capable of supporting populations, and its conservation status merits evaluation. An unusual putative hybrid with A. pedicellata represented by a single collection is documented from Marion County (Judd 2639 [FLAS]), suggested by the exactly intermediate floral morphology.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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