Common Wilkweed
Asclepias amplexicaulis

f14 @ 1/640s, ISO:1250, Nikon D3S w 105mm macro

"Asclepias syriaca," Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Asclepias syriaca, commonly called common milkweed, butterfly flower, silkweed, silky swallow-wort, and Virginia silkweed, is a species of flowering plant. It is in the genus Asclepias, the milkweeds. This species is native to southern Canada and of much of the conterminous eastern U.S., east of the Rocky Mountains, excluding the drier parts of the prairies. It grows in sandy soils and other kinds of soils in sunny areas. Common milkweed is a clonal perennial herb growing up to 2.6 m (8.5 ft) tall. Its ramets grow from rhizomes. All parts of common milkweed plants produce white latex when broken. The simple leaves are opposite or sometimes whorled; broad ovate-lanceolate; up to 25 cm (9.8 in) long and 12 cm (4.7 in) broad, usually with entire, undulate margins and reddish main veins. They have very short petioles and velvety undersides. The highly fragrant, nectariferous flowers vary from white (rarely) through pinkish and purplish and occur in umbellate cymes. Individual flowers are about 1 cm in diameter, each with five cornate hoods and five pollinia. The seeds, each with long, white flossy hairs, occur in large follicles.

Francis A. Crane Wildlife Management Area, East Falmouth, Massachusetts

07/06/2019