Asclepias obovata
Asclepias welshii
pineland milkweed
Welsh's milkweed
1 (rarely more), erect to spreading, unbranched, 40–70(–200) cm, densely hirtellous to velutinous, not glaucous, rhizomes absent.
1–20, erect to ascending, unbranched, 35–100 cm, densely tomentose 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.
subopposite to opposite (alternate), sessile or petiolate, stipular colleters absent;
petiole 0–8 mm, tomentose to glabrate;
blade oblong or obovate to oval or ovate, 4.5–14.5 × 2–8 cm, subsucculent, base rounded to cordate, margins entire, apex rounded or truncate to emarginate or acute, mucronate, venation brochidodromous, secondary veins orthogonal, surfaces tomentose to glabrate, margins eciliate, 0–10 laminar colleters.
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 from upper nodes, pedunculate, 22–80-flowered;
peduncle 2.5–6 cm, densely tomentose, with 1 caducous bract at the base of each pedicel.
10–12 mm, densely hirtellous to velutinous.
10–15 mm, densely pilose to tomentose.
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 to pendent;
calyx lobes linear, 5–6 mm, apex acute, densely pilose to tomentose;
corolla ochroleucous or tan to red-violet, lobes reflexed with spreading tips, oval to oblong, 5.5–6.5 mm, apex acute, densely tomentose abaxially, glabrous adaxially;
gynostegial column 1–1.5 mm;
fused anthers green to tan, obconic, 1.5 mm, wings triangular, widest at middle, closed, apical appendages ovate;
corona segments cream to ochroleucous, sometimes green at base, shiny, stipitate, tubular, dorsally flattened, 2.5–3.5 mm, exceeding style apex, apex truncate, glabrous, internal appendage falcate with acicular tip, exserted, sharply inflexed over style apex, glabrous;
style apex shallowly depressed, green.
broadly ovate, 8–9 × 6–7 mm, margin winged, faces smooth;
coma 2–5 cm.
oval, 18–20 × 9–10 mm, margin winged, faces minutely rugulose;
coma 4–4.5 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.
pendulous on spreading pedicels, ellipsoid, 5–7 × 1.7–3 cm, apex acuminate, softly muricate, densely to thinly tomentose.
Asclepias obovata
Asclepias welshii
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.)
With respect to the number of populations, Asclepias welshii is the most endangered Asclepias in the flora area and is federally listed as threatened in the United States. Most of the populations are remote and relatively secure; however, the most accessible population in a Utah park has been subject to the impacts of off-road vehicle recreation. Leaves and stems of A. welshii emerge densely tomentose, but the lower portions of the plants become sand blasted and smooth as the season progresses. The species is strongly rhizomatous, as befits its shifting substrate. Seedlings and sprouts from rhizomes often bear narrowly linear leaves that differ so strongly from the foliage of more robust stems that they are not easily attributed to this species. Similar heterophylly is found in A. arenaria, A. erosa, and other milkweeds of sandy substrates.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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