milkweeds
(Asclepias spp.)
Overview • Description • Distribution • Taxonomy
Overview |
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| Asclepias is a genus of perennial flowering plants. There are more than 200 species worldwide, at least 76 species in North America north of Mexico, and fourteen species in Minnesota. The common name “milkweed” refers to the white milky sap. The sap contains cardiac glycosides, and most species are poisonous. Milkweeds are the hosts for monarch butterfly larva. The genus is named after the Greek god of healing, Asclepius. | ||||||||
Description |
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Milkweeds have opposite or whorled leaves on short leaf stalks; milky latex; inflorescences of umbel-like, many-flowered cymes; and a complex flower structure consisting on an erect cup surrounding, in most species, a prolonged horn. |
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Distribution |
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Sources |
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| 11/9/2019 | ||||
.png "Distribution Map")
Taxonomy |
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| Kingdom | Plantae (green algae and land plants) | ||
| Subkingdom | Viridiplantae (green plants) | ||
| Infrakingdom | Streptophyta (land plants and green algae) | ||
| Superdivision | Embryophyta (land plants) | ||
| Division | Tracheophyta (vascular plants) | ||
| Subdivision | Spermatophytina (seed plants) | ||
| Class | Magnoliopsida (flowering plants) | ||
| Superorder | Asteranae | ||
Order |
Gentianales (gentians, dogbanes, madders, and allies) | ||
Family |
Apocynaceae (dogbane) | ||
| Subfamily | Asclepiadoideae (milkweed) | ||
| Tribe | Asclepiadeae | ||
| Subtribe | Asclepiadinae | ||
Subordinate Taxa |
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butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa ssp. interior) clasping milkweed (Asclepias amplexicaulis) common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) four-leaved milkweed (Asclepias quadrifolia) green milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora) narrow-leaved milkweed (Asclepias stenophylla) oval-leaf milkweed (Asclepias ovalifolia) poke milkweed (Asclepias exaltata) prairie milkweed (Asclepias hirtella) purple milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens) showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) Sullivant’s milkweed (Asclepias sullivantii) swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata ssp. incarnata) |
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Synonyms |
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Common Names |
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milkweed |
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| Visitor Photos | |||
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| Alfredo Colon | |||
_01.jpg "milkweed (Asclepias sp.)") |
_02.jpg "milkweed (Asclepias sp.)") |
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| Robert Briggs | |||
_03.jpg "milkweed (Asclepias sp.)") |
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| MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos | |||
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| Visitor Sightings | ||||
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This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Be sure to include a location. |
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| Alfredo Colon 8/8/2019 |
Location: Woodbury, Minnesota |
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| Robert Briggs 10/19/2016 |
Location: Southern River Trail, Afton State Park. |
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| MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings | ||||
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Created: 11/6/2019
Last Updated: