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asclépiade à fleurs vertes, green antelopehorn milkweed, green comet milkweed, green milkweed

asclépiade incarnate, rose milkweed, swamp milkweed, swamp silkweed, white Indian hemp

Habit Herbs. Herbs.
Stems

solitary, erect to ascending, unbranched (rarely), (10–)20–125 cm, puberulent with curved trichomes, not glaucous, rhizomes absent.

1–few, erect, unbranched to inflorescence, 30–150 cm, puberulent in a line with curved trichomes or densely pilose to glabrate, not glaucous, rhizomes absent.

Leaves

opposite to subopposite, sessile or petiolate, with 1 or 2 stipular colleters on each side of petiole and also in axil;

petiole 0–5 mm, puberulent with curved trichomes;

blade linear to broadly oval or nearly orbiculate, 2–13 × 0.8–6 cm, chartaceous, base cuneate to rounded, margins entire or crisped, apex acute or obtuse to truncate or emarginate, mucronate, venation brochidodromous, surfaces sparsely pilosulous to glabrate, margins ciliate, laminar colleters absent.

opposite, petiolate, with 1 or 2 stipular colleters on each side of petiole on a ciliate interpetiolar ridge;

petiole 1–15 mm, pilosulous to pilose;

blade lanceolate to linear-lanceolate or ovate, 5–15 × 0.5–4.5 cm, membranous, base obtuse to rounded or subcordate, margins entire, apex acute to acuminate or attenuate, venation eucamptodromous, surfaces sparsely puberulent with curved trichomes or pilose to glabrate, margins ciliate, 2–6 laminar colleters.

Inflorescences

extra-axillary at upper nodes, sometimes branched at peduncle apex, sessile or pedunculate, 22–60-flowered;

peduncle 0–4 cm, puberulent with curved trichomes to pilosulous, with 1 caducous bract at the base of each pedicel.

extra-axillary at upper nodes, branched, pedunculate, 10–31-flowered;

peduncle 1.5–7 cm, puberulent with curved trichomes to pilosulous, sometimes only on 1 side, to pilose, with 1 caducous bract at the base of each pedicel.

Pedicels

7–13 mm, pilosulous.

10–15 mm, pilosulous to puberulent with curved trichomes, sometimes only on 1 side, to pilose.

Flowers

erect to pendent;

calyx lobes narrowly lanceolate, 2–3 mm, apex acute, pilosulous;

corolla green to yellowish green, sometimes tinged red, lobes reflexed, oblong, 5–7 mm, apex acute, inconspicuously pilosulous at apex abaxially, glabrous adaxially;

gynostegium sessile;

fused anthers green, cylindric, 3–4 mm, wings triangular, widest at middle, closed, apical appendages ovate, marginally inflexed, apically deflexed;

corona segments green to cream, sometimes tinged red, sessile, laminar, margins incurved, appressed to column, 3–4 mm, greatly exceeded by style apex, apex obtuse, glabrous, internal appendage absent or obscure, glabrous;

style apex shallowly depressed, green.

erect;

calyx lobes lanceolate, 2–2.5 mm, apex acute, pilosulous to puberulent with curved trichomes;

corolla pink to white, lobes reflexed with spreading tips, elliptic, (4.5–)5–6 mm, apex acute, glabrous abaxially, minutely papillose at base adaxially;

gynostegial column 1.2–1.5 mm;

fused anthers green to brown, columnar, 1.5–2 mm, wings narrowly right-triangular, slightly open at base, apical appendages deltoid;

corona segments pink to white, often paler than corolla, stipitate, tubular, dorsally rounded to slightly flattened, 2–2.5 mm, ± equaling style apex, apex obtuse, glabrous, internal appendage acicular, exserted, arching over style apex, glabrous;

style apex shallowly depressed, green, white, or pink.

Seeds

ovate, 7–8 × 4–5 mm, margin winged, faces minutely rugulose;

coma 2.5–3 cm.

ovate, 8–9 × 5–6 mm, margin broadly winged, faces smooth;

coma 1.5–2 cm.

Follicles

erect on upcurved pedicels, fusiform to lance-ovoid, 6–10 × 1.5–2 cm, apex acuminate to attenuate, smooth, pilosulous.

erect on straight pedicels, fusiform, 6–9 × 0.8–1.2 cm, apex long-acuminate, smooth to indistinctly ribbed, sparsely puberulent with curved trichomes to pilose or pilosulous.

2n

= 22.

Asclepias viridiflora

Asclepias incarnata

Phenology Flowering Apr–Sep(–Oct); fruiting Jun–Nov.
Habitat Slopes, ridges, bluffs, flats, canyons, arroyos, glades, fields, meadows, pastures, sandhills, dunes, pond edges, streamsides, playas, sandstone, limestone, gypsum, ser­pentine, dolomite, alluvium, silty, sandy, clay, rocky, and calcareous soils, prairies, desert grasslands, oak scrub, oak, oak-juniper, oak-hickory, pine-oak, and pine woodlands, forest openings and edges.
Elevation 0–2300 m. (0–7500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; AZ; CO; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MD; MI; MN; MO; MS; MT; NC; ND; NE; NJ; NM; NY; OH; OK; PA; SC; SD; TN; TX; VA; WI; WV; WY; AB; MB; ON; SK; Mexico (Coahuila)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from USDA
North America; n Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Asclepias viridiflora is one of the milkweeds with spherical, greenish umbels and inconspicuous coronas (see also A. engelmanniana, A. hirtella, A. lanuginosa, A. longifolia, A. rusbyi, A. stenophylla). Prior to close examination, the tight green balls of open flowers appear to be merely in bud. The diversity in leaf morphology among individuals (linear to orbiculate) is remarkable, but has no taxonomic significance—the full range of variation may be found within single populations. This is the most widespread milkweed within the flora area, ranging across most of the United States (absent only from the westernmost states and most of New England) and southern Canada. It is nowhere abundant, but may be regularly encountered in suitable, thin-soiled prairie habitats, especially in the Great Plains. It is rare and considered to be of conservation concern on the margins of its range, in Alberta (Cypress, Forty Mile, and Warner counties), Arizona (Coconino, Gila, and Yavapai counties), Connecticut (New Haven County), Florida (Gadsden and Jackson counties), and New York (Columbia, Nassau, Richmond, and Suffolk counties).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora).

Asclepias incarnata can be grown in a great variety of soil types and is surprisingly drought tolerant considering its natural predilection for hydric and mesic soils. As an easily grown, attractive, versatile species, it is one of the best options for gardening with milkweeds. It consists of two morphologically and geographically distinct, but intergrading subspecies.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Key
1. Stems and leaf blades glabrate to sparsely puber­ulent with curved trichomes; petioles 7–15 mm; leaf blades lanceolate to linear-lanceolate; usually interior sites.
subsp. incarnata
1. Stems and leaf blades densely pilose; petioles 1–8 mm, leaf blades ovate to lanceolate; usually coastal or on piedmont.
subsp. pulchra
Source FNA vol. 14. FNA vol. 14.
Parent taxa Apocynaceae > Asclepias Apocynaceae > Asclepias
Sibling taxa
A. albicans, A. amplexicaulis, A. angustifolia, A. arenaria, A. asperula, A. brachystephana, A. californica, A. cinerea, A. connivens, A. cordifolia, A. cryptoceras, A. curassavica, A. curtissii, A. cutleri, A. eastwoodiana, A. elata, A. emoryi, A. engelmanniana, A. eriocarpa, A. erosa, A. exaltata, A. fascicularis, A. feayi, A. hallii, A. hirtella, A. humistrata, A. hypoleuca, A. incarnata, A. involucrata, A. labriformis, A. lanceolata, A. lanuginosa, A. latifolia, A. lemmonii, A. linaria, A. linearis, A. longifolia, A. macrosperma, A. macrotis, A. meadii, A. michauxii, A. nummularia, A. nyctaginifolia, A. obovata, A. oenotheroides, A. ovalifolia, A. pedicellata, A. perennis, A. prostrata, A. pumila, A. purpurascens, A. quadrifolia, A. quinquedentata, A. rubra, A. rusbyi, A. ruthiae, A. sanjuanensis, A. scaposa, A. solanoana, A. speciosa, A. sperryi, A. stenophylla, A. subulata, A. subverticillata, A. sullivantii, A. syriaca, A. texana, A. tomentosa, A. tuberosa, A. uncialis, A. variegata, A. verticillata, A. vestita, A. viridis, A. viridula, A. welshii
A. albicans, A. amplexicaulis, A. angustifolia, A. arenaria, A. asperula, A. brachystephana, A. californica, A. cinerea, A. connivens, A. cordifolia, A. cryptoceras, A. curassavica, A. curtissii, A. cutleri, A. eastwoodiana, A. elata, A. emoryi, A. engelmanniana, A. eriocarpa, A. erosa, A. exaltata, A. fascicularis, A. feayi, A. hallii, A. hirtella, A. humistrata, A. hypoleuca, A. involucrata, A. labriformis, A. lanceolata, A. lanuginosa, A. latifolia, A. lemmonii, A. linaria, A. linearis, A. longifolia, A. macrosperma, A. macrotis, A. meadii, A. michauxii, A. nummularia, A. nyctaginifolia, A. obovata, A. oenotheroides, A. ovalifolia, A. pedicellata, A. perennis, A. prostrata, A. pumila, A. purpurascens, A. quadrifolia, A. quinquedentata, A. rubra, A. rusbyi, A. ruthiae, A. sanjuanensis, A. scaposa, A. solanoana, A. speciosa, A. sperryi, A. stenophylla, A. subulata, A. subverticillata, A. sullivantii, A. syriaca, A. texana, A. tomentosa, A. tuberosa, A. uncialis, A. variegata, A. verticillata, A. vestita, A. viridiflora, A. viridis, A. viridula, A. welshii
Subordinate taxa
A. incarnata subsp. incarnata, A. incarnata subsp. pulchra
Synonyms Acerates ivesii, A. viridiflora var. lanceolata, A. viridiflora var. linearis
Name authority Rafinesque: Med. Repos., hexade 2, 5: 360. (1808) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 215. (1753)
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