When dancers became flowers[#467]

Explore 21-Feb-2008

പൂക്കളായ് മാറിയ നര്ത്തകിമാര്

Mexican Butterfly Weed, Blood-flower or Scarlet Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) is a species of milkweed.

 

It is a plant with brilliant reddish orange flowers and is excellent in butterfly gardens. Milkweed is the only host to the Monarch butterfly. Milkweed contains a white toxic sap. It is used to expel worms and induce vomiting. It affects the heart similarly to a digitalis plant. Birds will not eat butterflies that feed from this flower.

 

This species is thought to be originally from the Caribbean, but is now found worldwide in tropical areas. It should not be considered a native North American plant, though it can even successfully reseed in temperate areas.

 

Kingdom: Plantae

Division: Magnoliophyta

Class: Magnoliopsida

Order: Gentianales

Family: Asclepiadaceae

Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae

Genus: Asclepias

Species: A. curassavica

Done