Clasping Milkweed
Asclepias amplexicaulis Smith
Clasping Milkweed: https://marylandbiodiversity.org/species/140
Synonyms
Asclepias obtusifolia  Blunt-leaved Milkweed 
Tags

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192 Records

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Status

Clasping Milkweed “seems to occur in both deep sandy soils and heavy clays. This habit can be indicative of a species that tolerates droughty conditions. More than that, Clasping Milkweed is relatively intolerant of disturbances, so its ecology is more complex than simply drought-tolerant (Flora of Virginia Project).

Description

The leaf bases clasp the stem in this species. Less common than Common Milkweed, Clasping Milkweed can take years to flower and can even remain vegetative, especially if not in full sun or if only a few years old. In contrast to Common Milkweed, it is not rhizomatous or at least is not aggressively so (Flora of Virginia Project).

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Source: Wikipedia

Asclepias amplexicaulis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Asclepias
Species:
A. amplexicaulis
Binomial name
Asclepias amplexicaulis

Asclepias amplexicaulis, the blunt-leaved milkweed, clasping milkweed, or sand milkweed, is a species of flowering plant in the subfamily Asclepiadoideae (Apocynaceae).[1][2] It is endemic to the United States, where it is mostly found east of the Great Plains.[3] It grows in dry prairies, savannas, open woods, and fallow fields, usually in sandy soil.[2][4][5]

Description

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It grows 1–3 ft (0.30–0.91 m) high and produces flowers in the summer.[4]

The leaves of A. amplexicaulis are ovate to ovate-elliptic in shape, opposite, and most commonly found in pairs of 4 to 6.[6] They are approximately 8 to 15 centimeters long and 4 to 8 centimeters wide.[6] A. amplexicaulis' root system can reach between 45 and 60 centimeters in length and is relatively unbranched, with few lateral roots.[7]

This plant was eaten as food historically. However, it contains a poison dangerous to humans and livestock, so caution must be used if ingesting this plant.[8]

Ecology

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Phenology

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A. amplexicaulis flowers from spring to summer; flowering as early as April has been observed, with peak inflorescence occurring in May.[9]

Fire Ecology

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A. amplexicaulis occurs in ecosystems prone to burning, such as longleaf pine flatwoods, and has been found to persist through repeated prescribed burns.[10][11]

References

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  1. ^ NRCS. "Asclepias amplexicaulis". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
  2. ^ a b Wilhelm, Gerould; Rericha, Laura (2017). Flora of the Chicago Region: A Floristic and Ecological Synthesis. Indiana Academy of Sciences.
  3. ^ Kartesz, John T. (2014). "Asclepias amplexicaulis". County-level distribution map from the North American Plant Atlas (NAPA). Biota of North America Program (BONAP). Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Asclepias amplexicaulis". Connecticut Plants. Connecticut Botanical Society. 2015.
  5. ^ Haddock, Mike (2018). "Blunt-leaf milkweed". Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  6. ^ a b Radford, Albert Ernest; Ahles, Harry E.; Bell, Clyde Ritchie (1983). Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas (9. printing ed.). Chapel Hill, NC: Univ. of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-0-8078-1087-3.
  7. ^ Ravenel, H. W. (1881). "Abnormal Habit of Asclepias amplexicaulis". Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. 8 (8): 87–88. doi:10.2307/2476743. ISSN 0040-9618. JSTOR 2476743.
  8. ^ "Asclepias amplexicaulis". Illinois Prairie. MuseumLink Illinois, Illinois State Museum Society. 2000.
  9. ^ Wunderlin, Richard P.; Hansen, Bruce F. (2011). Guide to the vascular plants of Florida (3rd ed.). Gainesville (Fla.): University press of Florida. ISBN 978-0-8130-3543-7.
  10. ^ Weakley, A.S. (October 20, 2020). Flora of the Southeastern United States. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  11. ^ Kush, John S.; Meldahl, Ralph S.; Boyer, William D. 2000. Understory Plant Community Response to Season of Burn in Natural Longleaf Pine Forests. In: Moser, W. Keith; Moser, Cynthia E., eds. Fire and forest ecology: innovative silviculture and vegetation management. Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference Proceedings, No. 21. Tallahassee, FL: Tall Timbers Research Station: 32-39
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