- Family: Apocynaceae Juss.
Asclepias L.
[FTEA]
Apocynaceae (part 2), David Goyder, Timothy Harris, Siro Masinde, Ulrich Meve, Johan Venter. Flora of Tropical East Africa, 2012
- Morphology General Habit
- Perennial herbs with annual stems arising from a tuber or fleshy taproot.
- Morphology General Exudate
- Latex white.
- Morphology Stem
- Stems prostrate to erect, simple or branched
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaves opposite
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Inflorescences terminal or extra-axillary, nodding or erect, umbelliform, sessile or pedunculate
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Flowers 5-merous. Corolla divided almost to the base, lobes campanulate, spreading or reflexed. Corolline corona absent
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona
- Gynostegial corona of 5 generally cucullate fleshy lobes arising from the staminal column in a staminal position; minute interstaminal lobes sometimes also present
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollinia
- Pollinia pendant in anther cells; translator arms slender and terete or flattened, sometimes clearly geniculate, but never with a massively expanded proximal part and slender distal part.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
- Stylar head rarely projecting much beyond top of anthers (but long-rostrate in A. longirostra)
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Follicles mostly single by abortion, generally held erect, smooth, occasionally ribbed or with lines of soft pubescent processes
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
- Seeds ovate, discoid, with a coma of silky hairs.
- Note
- In addition, many segregate genera have been recognised in the Old World. In the broad sense the Asclepias radiation comprises some 380–400 species. Molecular surveys of this group do not lend support to current generic delimitations (see Goyder et al. in Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 94: 423–434, 2007 and Fishbein et al. in Syst. Bot. 36: 1008–1023, 2011). However, they do not suggest a workable alternative, so the morphologically distinctive African segregate genera Margaretta, Stathmostelma, Gomphocarpus, Pachycarpus, Xysmalobium and Glossostelma have been maintained in this treatment. I can only echo N.E. Brown’s view on the subject published in his openly artificial treatment of the group for the F.T.A. 4(1): 299 (1902): “Undoubtedly Xysmalobium, Asclepias and Schizoglossum are but artificial divisions of one natural genus, since they cannot be separated by characters that do not break down at some point…” but he then goes on to say how he has allocated species to each. We have moved on considerably since then in recognising more natural units, but the phylogenetic structure is still inadequate for a stable reallignment of the group at generic level.
Native to:
Alabama, Alberta, Angola, Argentina Northeast, Argentina Northwest, Argentina South, Arizona, Arkansas, Bahamas, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil North, Brazil Northeast, Brazil South, Brazil Southeast, Brazil West-Central, British Columbia, Burundi, California, Cameroon, Cape Provinces, Cayman Is., Central African Repu, Colombia, Colorado, Congo, Connecticut, Costa Rica, Cuba, Delaware, District of Columbia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Florida, Free State, French Guiana, Gabon, Galápagos, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kansas, Kentucky, Kenya, KwaZulu-Natal, Leeward Is., Lesotho, Louisiana, Maine, Malawi, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Mozambique, Namibia, Nebraska, Netherlands Antilles, Nevada, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Provinces, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Panamá, Paraguay, Pennsylvania, Peru, Prince Edward I., Puerto Rico, Québec, Rhode I., Rwanda, Saskatchewan, South Carolina, South Dakota, Southwest Caribbean, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tennessee, Texas, Trinidad-Tobago, Turks-Caicos Is., Uganda, Uganda, Uruguay, Utah, Venezuela, Venezuelan Antilles, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Windward Is., Wisconsin, Wyoming, Wyoming, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe
Introduced into:
Altay, Andaman Is., Ascension, Assam, Austria, Baltic States, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Bismarck Archipelago, Borneo, Bulgaria, Burkina, Canary Is., Cape Verde, Caroline Is., Chagos Archipelago, Chile North, China South-Central, China Southeast, Cook Is., Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, East Aegean Is., East Himalaya, Fiji, France, Gilbert Is., Greece, Gulf of Guinea Is., Hainan, Hawaii, Hungary, India, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Jawa, Kirgizstan, Kriti, Krym, Laos, Lesser Sunda Is., Madeira, Malaya, Marianas, Marshall Is., Mauritius, Morocco, Myanmar, Nansei-shoto, Nauru, Nepal, New Caledonia, New South Wales, Philippines, Poland, Queensland, Romania, Réunion, Samoa, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Society Is., Solomon Is., South Australia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet, Tonga, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Wallis-Futuna Is., West Himalaya, Western Australia, Yugoslavia
- Asclepias adscendens (Schltr.) Schltr.
- Asclepias × aequicornu E.Fourn.
- Asclepias albens (E.Mey.) Schltr.
- Asclepias albicans S.Watson
- Asclepias alpestris (K.Schum.) Goyder
- Asclepias amabilis N.E.Br.
- Asclepias ameliae S.Moore
- Asclepias amplexicaulis Sm.
- Asclepias angustifolia Schweigg.
- Asclepias apocynifolia Woodson
- Asclepias arenaria Torr.
- Asclepias asperula (Decne.) Woodson
- Asclepias atroviolacea Woodson
- Asclepias aurea (Schltr.) Schltr.
- Asclepias auriculata Kunth
- Asclepias barjoniifolia E.Fourn.
- Asclepias bartlettiana Woodson
- Asclepias baumii Schltr.
- Asclepias bicuspis N.E.Br.
- Asclepias bifida W.H.Blackw.
- Asclepias boliviensis E.Fourn.
- Asclepias brachystephana Engelm. ex Torr.
- Asclepias bracteolata E.Fourn.
- Asclepias breviantherae Goyder
- Asclepias brevicuspis (E.Mey.) Schltr.
- Asclepias brevipes (Schltr.) Schltr.
- Asclepias × bridgesii E.Fourn.
- Asclepias buchwaldii (Schltr. & K.Schum.) De Wild.
- Asclepias californica Greene
- Asclepias candida Vell.
- Asclepias cinerea Walter
- Asclepias circinalis (Decne.) Woodson
- Asclepias compressidens (N.E.Br.) Nicholas
- Asclepias concinna (Schltr.) Schltr.
- Asclepias connivens Baldwin ex Elliott
- Asclepias constricta M.E.Jones
- Asclepias conzattii Woodson
- Asclepias cooperi N.E.Br.
- Asclepias cordifolia (Benth.) Jeps.
- Asclepias coulteri A.Gray
- Asclepias crassicoronata Goyder
- Asclepias crassinervis N.E.Br.
- Asclepias crispa P.J.Bergius
- Asclepias crocea Woodson
- Asclepias cryptoceras S.Watson
- Asclepias cucullata (Schltr.) Schltr.
- Asclepias cultriformis Harv. ex Schltr.
- Asclepias curassavica L.
- Asclepias curtissii A.Gray
- Asclepias cutleri Woodson
- Asclepias densiflora N.E.Br.
- Asclepias dependens (K.Schum.) N.E.Br.
- Asclepias depressa (Schltr.) Schltr.
- Asclepias dinteri Engl. & Krause
- Asclepias disparilis N.E.Br.
- Asclepias dissona N.E.Br.
- Asclepias dregeana Schltr.
- Asclepias eastwoodiana Barneby
- Asclepias edentata Goyder
- Asclepias elata Benth.
- Asclepias elegantula Fishbein
- Asclepias eminens (Harv.) Schltr.
- Asclepias emoryi (Greene) Vail
- Asclepias engelmanniana Woodson
- Asclepias eriocarpa Benth.
- Asclepias erosa Torr.
- Asclepias euphorbiifolia Engelm. ex A.Gray
- Asclepias exaltata L.
- Asclepias expansa (E.Mey.) Schltr.
- Asclepias fallax (Schltr.) Schltr.
- Asclepias fascicularis Decne.
- Asclepias feayi Chapm. ex A.Gray
- Asclepias fimbriata Weim.
- Asclepias flanaganii Schltr.
- Asclepias flexuosa (E.Mey. ex Decne.) Schltr.
- Asclepias foliosa (K.Schum.) Hiern
- Asclepias fournieri Woodson
- Asclepias fulva N.E.Br.
- Asclepias galeottii E.Fourn.
- Asclepias gentryi Standl.
- Asclepias gibba (E.Mey.) Schltr.
- Asclepias glaucescens Kunth
- Asclepias gordon-grayae Nicholas
- Asclepias graminifolia (Wild) Goyder
- Asclepias grandirandii Goyder
- Asclepias hallii A.Gray
- Asclepias hirtella (Pennell) Woodson
- Asclepias humilis (E.Mey.) Schltr.
- Asclepias humistrata Walter
- Asclepias hypoleuca (A.Gray) Woodson
- Asclepias inaequalis Goyder
- Asclepias incarnata L.
- Asclepias involucrata Engelm. ex Torr.
- Asclepias jaliscana B.L.Rob.
- Asclepias jorgeana Fishbein & S.P.Lynch
- Asclepias kamerunensis Schltr.
- Asclepias × kansana Vail
- Asclepias labriformis M.E.Jones
- Asclepias lanceolata Walter
- Asclepias langsdorffii E.Fourn.
- Asclepias lanuginosa Nutt.
- Asclepias latifolia (Torr.) Raf.
- Asclepias lemmonii A.Gray
- Asclepias leptopus I.M.Johnst.
- Asclepias linaria Cav.
- Asclepias linearis Scheele
- Asclepias longifolia Michx.
- Asclepias longirostra Goyder
- Asclepias longissima (K.Schum.) N.E.Br.
- Asclepias lynchiana Fishbein
- Asclepias macropus (Schltr.) Schltr.
- Asclepias macrotis Torr.
- Asclepias masonii Woodson
- Asclepias mcvaughii Woodson
- Asclepias meadii Torr. ex A.Gray
- Asclepias melantha Decne.
- Asclepias meliodora (Schltr.) Schltr.
- Asclepias mellodora A.St.-Hil.
- Asclepias mexicana Cav.
- Asclepias meyeriana (Schltr.) Schltr.
- Asclepias michauxii Decne.
- Asclepias minor (S.Moore) Goyder
- Asclepias minutiflora (Goyder) Goyder
- Asclepias mirifica Woodson
- Asclepias montevaga M.Glen, Nicholas & Bester
- Asclepias monticola N.E.Br.
- Asclepias mtorwiensis Goyder
- Asclepias nana I.Verd.
- Asclepias navicularis (E.Mey.) Schltr.
- Asclepias nivea L.
- Asclepias nummularia Torr.
- Asclepias nummularioides W.D.Stevens
- Asclepias nuttii N.E.Br.
- Asclepias nyctaginifolia A.Gray
- Asclepias obovata Elliott
- Asclepias occidentallis Goyder
- Asclepias oenotheroides Schltdl. & Cham.
- Asclepias oreophila Nicholas ex Hilliard & B.L.Burtt
- Asclepias otarioides E.Fourn.
- Asclepias ovalifolia Decne.
- Asclepias ovata M.Martens & Galeotti
- Asclepias palustris (K.Schum.) Schltr.
- Asclepias patens N.E.Br.
- Asclepias pedicellata Walter
- Asclepias pellucida E.Fourn.
- Asclepias peltigera (E.Mey.) Schltr.
- Asclepias perennis Walter
- Asclepias pilgeriana Schltr.
- Asclepias praemorsa Schltr.
- Asclepias pratensis Benth.
- Asclepias pringlei (Greenm.) Woodson
- Asclepias prostrata W.H.Blackw.
- Asclepias pseudoamabilis Goyder
- Asclepias pseudofimbriata (Goyder) Goyder
- Asclepias pseudorubricaulis Woodson
- Asclepias puberula A.Gray
- Asclepias pumila (A.Gray) Vail
- Asclepias purpurascens L.
- Asclepias pygmaea N.E.Br.
- Asclepias quadrifolia Jacq.
- Asclepias quinquedentata A.Gray
- Asclepias randii S.Moore
- Asclepias rara N.E.Br.
- Asclepias rubra L.
- Asclepias rusbyi (Vail) Woodson
- Asclepias ruthiae Maguire
- Asclepias sanjuanensis K.D.Heil, J.M.Porter & S.L.Welsh
- Asclepias scaposa Vail
- Asclepias scheryi Woodson
- Asclepias schlechteri (K.Schum.) N.E.Br.
- Asclepias schumanniana Hiern
- Asclepias senecionifolia M.E.Jones
- Asclepias shabaensis (Goyder) Goyder
- Asclepias similis Hemsl.
- Asclepias solanoana Woodson
- Asclepias solstitialis A.Chev.
- Asclepias speciosa Torr.
- Asclepias sperryi Woodson
- Asclepias sphacelata (K.Schum.) N.E.Br.
- Asclepias standleyi Woodson
- Asclepias stathmostelmoides Goyder
- Asclepias stellifera Schltr.
- Asclepias stenophylla A.Gray
- Asclepias subaphylla Woodson
- Asclepias subulata Decne.
- Asclepias subverticillata (A.Gray) Vail
- Asclepias subviridis S.Moore
- Asclepias sullivantii Engelm. ex A.Gray
- Asclepias syriaca L.
- Asclepias tanganyikensis E.A.Bruce
- Asclepias texana A.Heller
- Asclepias tomentosa Elliott
- Asclepias tuberosa L.
- Asclepias ulophylla Schltr.
- Asclepias uncialis Greene
- Asclepias variegata L.
- Asclepias velutina (Schltr.) Schltr.
- Asclepias verticillata L.
- Asclepias vestita Hook. & Arn.
- Asclepias vicaria N.E.Br.
- Asclepias vinosa (E.Fourn.) Woodson
- Asclepias viridiflora Raf.
- Asclepias viridis Walter
- Asclepias viridula Chapm.
- Asclepias virletii E.Fourn.
- Asclepias welshii N.H.Holmgren & P.K.Holmgren
- Asclepias woodii (Schltr.) Schltr.
- Asclepias woodsoniana Standl. & Steyerm.
- Asclepias zanthodacryon (L.B.Sm.) Woodson
- Acerates Elliott
- Acerotis Raf.
- Aidomene Stopp
- Anantherix Nutt.
- Anthanotis Raf.
- Asclepiodella Small
- Asclepiodora A.Gray
- Biventraria Small
- Crassa Ruppius
- Dassovia Neck.
- Odontostelma Rendle
- Oligoron Raf.
- Otanema Raf.
- Otaria Kunth
- Oxypteryx Greene
- Podostemma Greene
- Podostigma Elliott
- Polyotus Nutt.
- Schizonotus A.Gray
- Solanoa Greene
- Solanoana Kuntze
- Stylandra Nutt.
- Trachycalymma (K.Schum.) Bullock
Asclepias L. appears in other Kew resources:
First published in Sp. Pl.: 215 (1753)
Accepted by
- Goyder, D.J. (2009). A synopsis of Asclepias (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadoideae) in tropical Africa Kew Bulletin 64: 369-399.
- Govaerts, R. (1995). World Checklist of Seed Plants 1(1, 2): 1-483, 1-529. MIM, Deurne.
Literature
Flora of Tropical East Africa
- K.B. 64: 369–399 (2009)
- Sp. Plantarum: 214 (1753)
Art and Illustrations in Digifolia
Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Flora of Tropical East Africa
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
Interactive Key to Seed Plants of Malesia and Indo-China
The Malesian Key Group (2010) Interactive Key to Seed Plants of Malesia and Indo-China (Version 2.0, 28 Jul 2010) The Nationaal Herbarium Nederland Leiden and The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
Kew Backbone Distributions
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2021. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2021. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0