Asclepiadaceae : Asclepias verticillata

Asclepias verticillata is a perennial herb containing milky white sap, with 1 to a few stems arising from a fibrous crown, occasionally branched and 35-90 cm tall. The sessile leaves are whorled with 3-6 leaves per node. The blades are entire, linear, 1.5 to 8 cm long and about 1 mm wide. The inflorescences are few to many in the axils of the upper leaves, each containing 6-20 flowers. Flower buds appear yellowish but produce white to greenish white flowers. Each flower is attached to a short peduncle (1-4 cm long) by a 5-11 mm pedicel. Calyx lobes are green to purple tinged 1-2.5 mm long and the corolla lobes are white to greenish white, reflexed and3.5-4.5 mm long. The fruit are erect follicles 8-10.5 cm long and < 1 cm wide. The ovate seeds are 5-6 mm long with long white hairs. Whorled milkweed blooms from June through September in the prairies, flood plains and open woods of South Dakota.