Asclepias curassavica

• Botanical Name : Asclepias curassavica L.
• Common Name : Scarlet Milkweed, Bloodflower, Silkweed, Butterfly Weed
• Plant Family : Asclepiadaceae
• Plant Form : Herb
• Occurrence (Special Areas) : Indroda Park

About Asclepias curassavica Plant :

• Habit : An evergreen, perennial, suffruticose herbs.
• Stem : Erect, branched, herbaceous, solid, cylindrical, Pale, grey
• Leaves : Membranous, Simple, Opposite, short petiolate, exstipulate, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, acuminate or acute tip, milky latex present, unicostate reticulate venation.
• Inflorescence : Umbellate Cymes.
• Flowers :
  • Pedicellate, bracteates,Red-orange colored, small, bisexual, actinomorphic, hypogynous, pentamerous, cyclic.
  • Sepals 5, polysepalous, imbricate or valvate aestivation, lanceolate, pubescent.
  • Corolla purple or red; petals 5, gamopetalous, twisted aestivation, brightly coloured, lobes oblong, reflexed.
  • The filaments of the androecium attached to the base of the corolla are united to form a column around the pistil, the anthers being pressed close to the styles; each stamen bears on the side away from the pistil and appendage which enfolds the anther like a hood; these appendages collectively form a corona. Corona lobes yellow or orange.
  • Bicarpellary, syncarpous, ovary superior, gynostegium present, marginal placentation.
• Fruit : Follicles ovate-lanceolate, glabrous, beaked.
• Seeds : 0.4-0.6mm broadly ovate, glabrous, with silky-white coma.
• Flowering and Fruiting Time : Throughout the year.
• Significance :
  • Found as ornamental in gardens.
  • It is a food for many caterpillars. It also provides nectar for a wide variety of butterflies, pollinators, and hummingbirds.