Asclepias obovata
Asclepias sperryi
pineland milkweed
sperry's milkweed
1 (rarely more), erect to spreading, unbranched, 40–70(–200) cm, densely hirtellous to velutinous, not glaucous, rhizomes absent.
few–numerous, erect to ascending, branched at base, 5–20 cm, minutely puberulent with curved trichomes to glabrate, not glaucous, rhizomatous.
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 stipular colleter on each side of leaf base;
blade filiform, 2–5 × 0.05–0.1 cm, membranous, base cuneate, margins revolute, apex acute, mucronate, venation obscure, surfaces glabrous, margins minutely ciliate at base, 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.
extra-axillary, sessile, 1–2-flowered, with 1 caducous bract at the base of each pedicel.
10–12 mm, densely hirtellous to velutinous.
4–10 mm, minutely puberulent with curved trichomes in a line.
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 ovate, 2–3 mm, apex acute, glabrous;
corolla pale greenish yellow tinged with purple, lobes spreading, ovate, 4–5 mm, apex acute, glabrous;
gynostegium sessile;
fused anthers brown, cylindric, 1.5–2 mm, wings deltoid, apical appendages broadly ovate;
corona segments pale greenish yellow to white (sometimes tinted purple), sessile, chute-shaped, sharply inflexed, 2–3 mm, equaling to exceeded by style apex, apex truncate, subcaudate, hirtellous, internal appendage an included crest, hirtellous;
style apex shallowly depressed, green.
broadly ovate, 8–9 × 6–7 mm, margin winged, faces smooth;
coma 2–5 cm.
ovate, 5–6 × 3–4 mm, margin thickly winged, faces rugulose;
coma 2–2.5 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 upcurved pedicels, fusiform, 5–7 × 0.5–0.7 cm, apex attenuate, smooth, glabrous.
Asclepias obovata
Asclepias sperryi
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 sperryi is one of the least known milkweeds. It is exceedingly cryptic and easily mistaken for a small clump of grass, perhaps of Bouteloua; it is likely to be far more common than documented. However, very few observations or collections have been made in recent decades, and conservation assessment is warranted. Its range is restricted to limestone mountains of the Chihuahuan Desert in the Big Bend region of Texas, in Brewster and Pecos counties, and adjacent areas of Coahuila, entirely within the range of its sister species, A. macrotis. It is the only species of Asclepias that regularly produces a single flower per umbel.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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