Asclepias erosa
| Asclepias erosa | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Apocynaceae |
| Subfamily: | Asclepiadoideae |
| Genus: | Asclepias |
| Species: | A. erosa |
| Binomial name | |
| Asclepias erosa Torr. |
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Asclepias erosa is a species of milkweed known commonly as desert milkweed. It is native to southern California, Arizona, and northern Baja California, where it is most abundant in the desert regions.
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[edit] Description
This milkweed, Asclepias erosa, is a perennial herb with erect yellow-green stems and foliage in shades of pale whitish-green to dark green with white veining. It may be hairless to very fuzzy. The sturdy, pointed leaves grow opposite on the stout stem. Atop the stem is a rounded umbel of yellowish or cream-colored flowers. Each flower has thick, reflexed corollas beneath a flower center composed of rounded, horned filaments.
[edit] Uses
The plant is filled with a viscous sap that was roasted to a solid and enjoyed as a sort of chewing gum by local Native American groups.
[edit] Butterflies
Asclepias erosa is a specific Monarch butterfly food and habitat plant.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Asclepias erosa |
- Jepson Manual Treatment: Asclepias erosa
- USDA Plants Profile: Asclepias erosa
- Ethnobotany: Asclepias erosa
- Asclepias erosa Photo gallery
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