ASCLEPIADACEAE - Milkweed Family
Perennial herbs, vines,
and shrubs with milky sap, some cactus-like
Leaves opposite or whorled, simple, entire
Flowers bisexual,
actinomorphic, with elaborate corona containing hoods
and horns, highly specialized pollination mechanism, pollen
contained in waxy pollinia connected in
pairs to glands, stamens and
carpels united into gynostegium
Fruit a follicle,
seeds with tuft of silky hairs
(comose)
250 genera, 2000 species
The Asclepiadaceae is divided into three subfamilies based on
whether the pollen are in pollinia or not and the number of locules
in the anthers
Economic importance - ornamentals, livestock poisoning
Medicinal uses - laxative, expectorant, diuretic, emetic, wart
removal. All members of this family should be considered toxic.
Diagnostic characteristics: corona, pollinia, fruit a follicle with
seeds with silky hairs, milky sap
IMAGE GALLERY
FLOWERING
PLANT GATEWAY