Genus Asclepias (Noun)
Meaning
Genus of chiefly North American perennial herbs: silkweed; milkweed.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- Asclepias, commonly known as milkweed, is a genus of about 140 species of perennials that have gained attention in recent years due to their association with the monarch butterfly.
- Some species of genus asclepias have been shown to produce chemical defenses that make them toxic to predators of the monarch caterpillars.
- Monarch caterpillars are found exclusively on genus asclepias, particularly common milkweed and butterfly milkweed, as these plants are their sole food source.
- Several species of genus asclepiroside asclepias are now commercially cultivated as ornamental flowers in North America.
- Researchers studying monarch conservation have found that restoring native vegetation with species of genus asclepias in areas where the butterfly populations have declined is effective in aiding the species' recovery.