Asclepias sullivantii
Asclepias feayi
asclépiade de Sullivant, prairie milkweed, Sullivant's milkweed
Feay's milkweed, Florida milkweed
solitary, erect, unbranched, 55–90 cm, glabrous, glaucous, rhizomatous.
solitary, erect, unbranched (rarely near base), 20–75 cm, minutely puberulent in a line with curved trichomes to glabrate, not glaucous, rhizomes absent.
opposite, sessile, with 1 or 2 stipular colleters on each side of leaf base;
blade lanceolate or ovate to oblong, 6.5–15 × 1.5–9 cm, succulent, base cordate, margins entire, apex obtuse to rounded or acute, sometimes emarginate, mucronate, venation brochidodromous, surfaces glabrous, glaucous, margins eciliate, 4–12 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 at upper nodes, sometimes appearing terminal, pedunculate, 9–29-flowered;
peduncle 1–6 cm, glabrous, glaucous, 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.
22–36 mm, glabrous, glaucous.
7–17 mm, minutely puberulent with curved trichomes on 1 side.
erect;
calyx lobes lanceolate, 4–5 mm, apex acute, glabrous, glaucous;
corolla dark pink, pale at base of lobes, lobes reflexed, sometimes with spreading tips, elliptic, 8–12 mm, apex acute, glabrous;
gynostegial column 1–1.5 mm;
fused anthers truncately green, obconic, 2.5–3.5 mm, wings narrowly right-triangular, open at base, apical appendages ovate;
corona segments pale to dark pink, subsessile, tubular, flattened dorsally, 5–7 mm, exceeding style apex, apex broadly obtuse, oblique, glabrous, internal appendage subulate, exserted, sharply inflexed 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.
ovate, 7–9 × 5–6 mm, margin winged, faces minutely rugulose;
coma 3.5–4.5 cm.
oval, 6–8 × 3–5 mm, margin winged, faces smooth;
coma 3.5 cm.
erect on upcurved pedicels, lance-ovoid, 7–11 × 1.5–3 cm, apex acuminate, sparsely muricate, sparsely pilosulous to glabrate, glaucous.
erect on straight pedicels, fusiform, 9–12 × 0.3–0.6 cm, apex attenuate, smooth, glabrous.
= 22.
Asclepias sullivantii
Asclepias feayi
The distribution of Asclepias sullivantii is coextensive with the tallgrass prairie, where it favors moist sites. The broad, smooth, glaucous, clasping leaves, often with pink venation, are similar only to A. amplexicaulis in the region, but the latter species favors dry sites and has a long, terminal peduncle. Because of the tremendous reduction in the extent and quality of tallgrass prairie, A. sullivantii is presumed to be less common than in former times and is considered to be rare and of conservation concern in Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ontario (Chatham-Kent, Elgin, Essex, Lambton, and Middlesex counties). It may be extirpated from North Dakota (historically in Cass and Richland counties) and South Dakota (historically in Clay, Lincoln, and Union counties). In Nebraska, it is limited to the eastern one-third of the state. Nonetheless, it is encountered commonly in suitable habitat along roadsides in the core of its range, in Illinois and Kansas. Asclepias sullivantii commonly co-occurs with and is often mistaken for A. syriaca from a distance but is easily distinguished by its smaller stature, ascending leaves, and the concentration of umbels at the apex of the stem, in addition to the glabrous and glaucous herbage that can be observed with closer examination. It is known to hybridize rarely with A. syriaca, and presumed hybrids can be recognized by intermediate vegetative and floral features.
(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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