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Prairie milkweed

Asclepias hirtella (Pennell) Woods.

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Prairie milkweed
Prairie milkweed
Prairie milkweed
Prairie milkweed
Prairie milkweed inflorescence
Prairie milkweed habit
Prairie milkweed inflorescence
Prairie milkweed
Prairie milkweed fruit

Morphology

Stem
Erect, simple or branched. Plants minutely pubescent, not glaucous; sap milky.
Leaves
Mostly alternate; petiole to .28 inch; blade linear to linear-lanceolate, 2.2 to 6 inches long, .12 to .6 inch wide, margins entire, tip acute to acuminate.
Inflorescence
Umbel-like cymes, (1-)2-10, usually axillary, 25-100-flowered.
Flower
.25 to .4 inch long, .16 to .25 inch wide; calyx lobes lanceolate to triangular, .06 to .12 inch; corolla pale green tinged purple, lobes 5, elliptic-lanceolate, reflexed, .12 to .2 inch; hoods 5, brownish green to green, erect, .06 to .08 inch, margins entire, apex rounded; horns absent.
Fruit
Pods narrowly spindle-shaped, 2.4 to 6 inches long, .4 to .8 inch wide, smooth, minutely pubescent; seeds ovate, .27 to .35 inch; tufted with tan hairs 1.4 to 1.6 inch long.

Ecology

Habitat
Mesic tallgrass prairies.
Distribution
East 1/4 of Kansas

Additional Notes

Comments

For Aesculapius, the Greek god of medicine, and hirtella, "with short, stiff hairs". Formerly treated as Asclepiadaceae - Milkweed Family.

Quick Facts
Plant Type
Wildflower
Family
Apocynaceae - Dogbane Family
Life Span
Perennial
Height
10-50 inches
Origin
Native
Last Updated
2014-01-18
Color Groups
White, Green & Greenish White Wildflowers
Flowering Period
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Blooms: June, July, August, September