Asclepias cinerea

Asclepias cinerea, also known as Carolina milkweed or ashy milkweed, is a herbaceous perennial plant species in the genus Asclepias. It is native to the United States where its range is concentrated in the Southeast.

Etymology
The genus Ascelpias is named after the Ancient Greek god of medicine, Asclepius. The specific epithet, cinerea, is from the Latin cinereus, meaning ash-colored or ash-gray. The common name, milkweed, comes from the white, milky latex that the plant secretes when the stem or leaves are injured.

Description
Asclepias cinerea is a perennial herb that is grass-like in appearance with a thin, smooth stem that reaches 2 ft in height. Leaves are 2 to 4 in long, linear, narrow, glabrous, and oppositely arranged. Flowers are sparse and loosely arranged in axillary or terminal umbels. Each flower has a five-lobed corolla (petals) that are flat or reflexed and range from ashy-gray, pale violet, to pale rose. The fruit is a follicle that is smooth, slender, and 3 to 4 in long. When the follicle matures, it splits open releasing seeds. Each seed has white fluffy hairs (pappus) attached that aid in wind dispersal.

Ecology
Like other milkweed species, A. cinerea is a host plant for the monarch (Danaus plexippus) and queen (Danaus gilippus) butterflies. It is also an important nectar source for other butterflies, bees, wasps, and beetles.

Distribution and habitat
This species is found in the Southeastern Coastal Plain from eastern South Carolina, down to the Florida panhandle, and west to southern Mississippi. It was also historically found in North Carolina, but is now extirpated. Its native habitats include pine-wiregrass savannas, flatwoods, sandhills, bogs, and pine-scrub oak ridges.

Conservation status
A. cinerea is listed as an S1 species (Critically Imperiled) by NatureServe in Alabama and South Carolina. Globally it is listed as a G4 species (Apparently Secure), which means there is a fairly low risk of extinction, but there is possible cause for some concerns due to local recent declines, threats, or other factors.