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{{SPlantbox
|genus=Asclepias
|Temp Metric=°F
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{{Inc|
Asclepias (ancient Greek and Latinized name). Asclepiadaceae. Milkweed. Silkweed. Perennial milky-juiced herbs, sometimes used in the hardy border or wild garden.
Erect, with deep thick and hard perennial roots: Lvs. opposite or verticillate (rarely alternate), entire: fls. gamopetalous, the corolla segms. generally strongly reflexed; stamens 5, attached to the corolla, the anthers more or less united about the stigma; between the corolla and the stamens is a crown of 5 cornucopia-like horns or appendages; pollen cohering into a waxy mass (pollinium) which is removed bodily by insects that visit the fl.: fr. 2 warty, or echinate or smooth follicles.
The pollination of an asclepias fl. is shown in Fig. 398. The pollen-masses are usually twin (as at 6), and the handle or caudicle lies in a chink on the side of the stigma. The pollen-masses become attached to the legs or mouth parts of the insect, and are thereby transferred to another fl.—The milkweeds are common in waste places in N. Amer., and are rarely cult. About 80 species are known, mostly North American, but others in Cent, and S. Amer. and Afr. Several species (described below) have been offered by dealers in native plants. The butterfly-weed and some others are very showy and worthy of more general attention. The large-lvd. kinds are desirable when heavy foliage effects are wanted. They are all perennials of the easiest cult. Prop, by division, rarely by seeds.
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{{redirect|Milkweed}}
{{redirect|Milkweed}}
{{Taxobox
{{Taxobox
[[Carolus Linnaeus]] named the genus after [[Asclepius]], the Greek god of healing, because of the many folk-medicinal uses for the milkweed plants.
[[Carolus Linnaeus]] named the genus after [[Asclepius]], the Greek god of healing, because of the many folk-medicinal uses for the milkweed plants.
[[Pollination]] in this genus is accomplished in an unusual manner, as the [[pollen]] is grouped into complex structures called [[pollinia]] (or "pollen sacs"), rather than being individual grains, as is typical for plant pollen. The flower petals are smooth and rigid, and the feet of visiting insects (predominantly large [[wasp]]s, such as [[spider wasp]]s, which visit the plants for nectar) slip into notches in the flowers, where the sticky bases of the pollinia attach to the feet, pulling the pollen sacs free when the pollinator flies off. [[Bee]]s, including [[Western honey bee|honey bees]] only gather nectar from milkweed flowers, and are generally not effective pollinators despite the frequency of visitation.
[[Pollination]] in this genus is accomplished in an unusual manner, as the [[pollen]] is grouped into complex structures called [[pollinia]] (or "pollen sacs"), rather than being individual grains, as is typical for plant pollen. The flower petals are smooth and rigid, and the feet of visiting insects (predominantly large [[wasp]]s, such as [[spider wasp]]s, which visit the plants for nectar) slip into notches in the flowers, where the sticky bases of the pollinia attach to the feet, pulling the pollen sacs free when the pollinator flies off. [[Bee]]s, including [[Western honey bee|honey bees]] only gather nectar from milkweed flowers, and are generally not effective pollinators despite the frequency of visitation.
Species in the ''Asclepias'' genus grow their [[seed]]s in [[pod]]s. These seed pods contain soft filaments known as either ''silk'' or ''floss''. The filaments are attached to individual seeds. When the seed pod ripens, the seeds are blown by the wind, each carried by several filaments.
Species in the ''Asclepias'' genus grow their [[seed]]s in [[pod]]s. These seed pods contain soft filaments known as either ''silk'' or ''floss''. The filaments are attached to individual seeds. When the seed pod ripens, the seeds are blown by the wind, each carried by several filaments.
==Species==
==Species==
Some '''''Asclepias''''' species:
Some '''''Asclepias''''' species:
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
| || ''[[Asclepias acida]]'' || Possibly used to create [[Soma]].
| || ''[[Asclepias acida]]'' || Possibly used to create [[Soma]].
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