milkweed family

milkweed family
the plant family Asclepiadaceae, characterized by herbaceous plants, shrubs, and vines having simple, opposite or whorled leaves, usually milky juice, umbellike clusters of small flowers, and long pods that split open to release tufted, airborne seeds, and including the anglepod, butterfly weed, milkweed, stephanotis, and wax plant.

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Family Asclepiadaceae, composed of about 2,000 species of flowering herbaceous plants or shrubby climbers in more than 280 genera.

Most family members have milky juice, podlike fruits, and tufted silky-haired seeds that drift on wind currents to new locations for sprouting. Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) and bloodflower (A. curassavica) often are cultivated as ornamentals. Hoya carnosa, commonly called wax plant because of its waxy white flowers, is often grown indoors as a potted plant. The family also includes some succulents, some pitcher plants, and butterfly weed.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • milkweed family — noun widely distributed family of herbs and shrubs of the order Gentianales; most with milky juice • Syn: ↑Asclepiadaceae, ↑family Asclepiadaceae • Derivationally related forms: ↑asclepiadaceous (for: ↑Asclepiadaceae) …   Useful english dictionary

  • milkweed — [milk′wēd΄] n. 1. any of a genus (Asclepias) of perennial plants of the milkweed family, with a milky juice, or latex, and pods which when ripe burst to release plumed seeds 2. any of various plants with similar milky juice adj. designating a… …   English World dictionary

  • milkweed — noun Date: circa 1592 any of various plants that secrete latex; especially any of a genus (Asclepias of the family Asclepiadaceae, the milkweed family) of erect chiefly perennial herbs with milky juice and umbellate flowers …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • milkweed butterfly — noun Date: 1880 any of a family (Danaidae) or nymphalid subfamily (Danaine) of large butterflies feeding on plants of the milkweed family as larvae; especially monarch butterfly …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • milkweed — /milk weed /, n. 1. any of several plants that secrete a milky juice or latex, esp. those of the genus Asclepias, as A. syriaca. Cf. milkweed family. 2. any of various other plants having a milky juice, as certain spurges. [1590 1600; MILK +… …   Universalium

  • milkweed — milk·weed milk .wēd n any of various plants that secrete latex esp any plant of the genus Asclepias (family Asclepiadaceae, the milkweed family) including several whose dried roots were formerly used medicinally * * * milk·weed (milkґwēd)… …   Medical dictionary

  • family — /fam euh lee, fam lee/, n., pl. families, adj. n. 1. parents and their children, considered as a group, whether dwelling together or not. 2. the children of one person or one couple collectively: We want a large family. 3. the spouse and children …   Universalium

  • family Asclepiadaceae — noun widely distributed family of herbs and shrubs of the order Gentianales; most with milky juice • Syn: ↑Asclepiadaceae, ↑milkweed family • Derivationally related forms: ↑asclepiadaceous (for: ↑Asclepiadaceae) …   Useful english dictionary

  • MILKWEED — MILKWEED, plant of the Euphorbiaceae family. Many genera comprising scores of species are found in Israel. Attempts have been made to identify them with plants mentioned in the Bible, but such attempts are without foundation. One plant mentioned… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Milkweed butterfly — For the mythological fifty daughters of Danaus, see Danaides. Milkweed butterflies Three Milkweed butterflies Scientific classification Kingdom …   Wikipedia

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