Asclepias humistrata
Species of plant
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Asclepias humistrata, or the sandhill milkweed, is a species of milkweed plant. It is also known as pinewoods milkweed and pink-veined milkplant. It belongs in the subfamily Asclepiadoideae. It is native to the southeastern United States. It is found in well-drained areas such as sandy woodlands, sandy hills, and Florida scrub.
| Asclepias humistrata | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Apocynaceae |
| Genus: | Asclepias |
| Species: | A. humistrata |
| Binomial name | |
| Asclepias humistrata Walter | |
A. humistrata serves as a host to the queen butterfly and monarch butterfly species.[2][3]
Description
A. humistrata may grow from 0.3 to 0.9 meters (0.98 to 2.95 ft) tall.[4] The leaves are oppositely arranged, in 5 to 8 pairs. They are ovate in shape and may be 6 to 10 centimeters (approximately 2 to 4 inches) long and 4.5 to 8.5 centimeters (about 1.77 to 3.35 inches) wide.[5] The flowers are pink lavender and white.[6] It blooms in spring and summer.
Distribution and habitat
This species in endemic to the southeastern region of the United States. Its range extends from North Carolina south to Florida and westward to Louisiana.[7]
A. humistrata is found in environment types such as sand dunes, scrub oak sand ridges, pine-palmetto thickets, and longleaf pine-scrub oak ridges. It has also been observed in disturbed areas, such as alongside roads.[8]
