Asclepias Nummularia, Tufted Milkweed

Asclepias nummularia is an easily recognized species, being small, just a few inches tall, and having broad, basal leaves that appear bluish due to a dense covering of hairs. This is an uncommon species, restricted to southernmost regions of Arizona and New Mexico, and the Big Bend area of Texas, though it inhabits a wide range of habitats and soil types.

Leaves are quite thick, with entire margins, rounded to heart-shaped at the base and blunt-pointed at the tip. Leaf veins are pinnate, the side veins curving upwards at the tip. Flowers are borne in terminal clusters, of five to 28, on tomentose, bracted peduncles of up to 2.5 inches.

Flowers are attached by hairy pedicels of around 0.7 inches, Calyx lobes are pinkish, ovate to lanceolate, while corolla lobes are pink to brownish or violet, and strongly reflexed. The five coronal segments, the hoods, are white above, pink to purplish below. Horns are comparatively small, creamy white to pink, triangular to sickle-shaped, slightly exserted.