ILLINOIS PLANT INFORMATION NETWORK
 
 ILPIN INFORMATION ON    Asclepias speciosa
 
 
 CLASS:    DICOTYLEDENAE
 ORDER:    GENTIANALES
 FAMILY:   ASCLEPIADACEAE
 SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Asclepias speciosa
 AUTHORITY:  Torr.
 
 COMMON NAMES:
    SHOWY MILKWEED
 
 SYNONOMY:   None
 
 PLANTS CODE: ASSP
 
 NATURAL COMMUNITIES:
     PRAIRIE
     CULTURAL
       DEVELOPED LAND
 
 
 SAF FOREST COVER TYPE:
     NO
 
 NATURAL DIVISION:  UNAVAILABLE
 
 COUNTIES:
   COOK
 
 GROWTH FORM:  Dicot-herb
 
 TAXONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS:
    LEAF ARRANGEMENT:     Opposite
    LEAF TYPE:   Simple
    LEAF MARGIN:   Entire
    LEAF VENATION:  Pinnate
    LEAF SHAPE:     Oblong   Ovate     Oval
    INFLORESCENCE:   Umbel
    FLOWER MEROUS:  5
    FLOWER STRUCTURE:   Complete   Regular
    FLOWER COLOR:   Violet
    FLOWER PLACEMENT:  Hypogynous
    FRUIT:   Follicle
 
 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:
     ORIGIN:   Introduced-  N. America
 
 GEOGRAPHIC COMMENTS:
     From western states.
 
 POPULATION DYNAMICS:
     STATE STATUS: Not listed
     FEDERAL STATUS: Not listed
     COMMONNESS:  Rare
     ENDEMIC:   NOT-ENDEMIC
 
 BIOLOGIC:
     HABIT:   Forb
     LIFE CYCLE:   Perennial
     REPRODUCTION:   Sexual   Vegetative
     FLOWERING PERIOD:
         MONTH BEGINNING-      6         MONTH END-      8
     TROPHIC STATUS:  Autotrophic
     C02 FIXATION:  C3
     SEX:      Perfect
 
 ECODISTRIBUTION COMMENTS:
     railroad
 
 ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS:
     GROWTH OF SPECIES IN VARIOUS CONDITIONS:
          GRAVEL         No data entered    SAND           No data entered
          SANDY LOAM     No data entered    LOAM           No data entered
          CLAY LOAM      No data entered    CLAY           No data entered
          DENSE CLAY     No data entered    ORGANIC SOIL   No data entered
          NEUTRAL pH     No data entered    ACIDIC SOIL    No data entered
          EXTREMELY ACID No data entered    SALINE SOIL    No data entered
          SODIC SOIL     No data entered    SODIC-SALINE   No data entered
          ROCKY OUTCROPS No data entered    GENTLE SLOPES  Good
          MODERATE SLOPE Fair               STEEP SLOPES   Poor
     HABITAT:   Moist   Dry
 
 FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:
     MAJOR DISPERSAL AGENTS:   WIND
 
 HUMAN RELATIONSHIP DATA:
     EDIBLE:  Yes
 
 
 WILDLIFE AND LIVESTOCK INFORMATION:
     FOOD VALUE:  No data entered
     COVER VALUE:  No data entered
 
 LIVESTOCK PALATABILITY DATA:
     CATTLE FORAGE: No data    SHEEP FORAGE:  No data    HORSE FORAGE:  No data
     GOAT FORAGE:   No data    ENERGY VALUE:  Low        PROTEIN VALUE: Low
     POISONOUS (LIVESTOCK):   Yes       -minor
 
 REVEGETATION PLANTINGS:    No data entered
 
 GENERAL COMMENTS:
     Economic weed in western states.
 
 
 REFERENCES:
Gleason, H. A., and A. Cronquist.  1963.  Manual of vascular plants of north-
     eastern United States and adjacent Canada.  Van Nostrand Reinhold Co.,
     New York.  810 pp.
Fernald, M. L.  1950.  Gray's manual of botany.  8th ed.  American Book Co.,
     New York.  1632 pp.
Swink, F., and G. S. Wilhelm.  1979.  Plants of the Chicago region.  Third ed.
     The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois.  922 pp.
Downton, W. J. S.  1975.  The occurrence of C4 photosynthesis among plants.
     Photosynthetica 9(1): 96-105.
 
 END OF DATA FOR SPECIES  Asclepias speciosa
 
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 ILPIN was developed by Louis Iverson*, with data compiled by David Ketzner and Jeanne Karnes
 Illinois Natural History Survey, 607 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign, IL 61820
     *currently employed by USDA Forest Service, 359 Main Rd., Delaware, OH 43015