Thanks, Stephen ji. Here are some extracts from Wikpedia link on *Asclepias curassavica*: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asclepias_curassavica
*Asclepias curassavica*, commonly called *Mexican Butterfly Weed*, * Blood-flower* or *Scarlet Milkweed*, is a species of evergreen perennial plant in the milkweed <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milkweed> family Asclepiadaceae <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asclepiadaceae>. This species is native from tropical America and now naturalized in many other parts of the world and now found worldwide in tropical areas. It is grown as an ornamental garden plant and as a source of food for butterflies. Typical plants are evergreen perennial subshrub that grow up to 1 m tall and have pale gray stems. The Leaves are arranged oppositely on the stems and are lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate shaped ending in acuminate or acute tips. The flowers are in Cymes with 10-20 flowers each. The flowers have corollas that are purple or red and Corona lobes that are yellow or orange. The 5 to 10 cm long, fusiform shaped fruits are called follicles. The follicles contain tan to brown seeds that are ovate in shape and 6-7mm long. Plants flower nearly year round.[1]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asclepias_curassavica#cite_note-0>Plants have a milky sap like most members of the genus. The flat seeds have silky hairs that allow the seeds to float on air currents when the pod-like follicles split open.[2]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asclepias_curassavica#cite_note-1> There are a number of different cultivars<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultivar>with improved flower colors and shorter habit, some have brilliant red, yellow or orange colored flowers. *Asclepias curassavica* is excellent in butterfly gardens or as a cut flower. Other good links: http://www.floridata.com/ref/A/ascl_cur.cfm (details with pictures), http://www.tropilab.com/cottonbush.html (details with a drawing), http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week019.shtml (details with pictures). On Thu, Dec 18, 2008 at 3:41 PM, Stephen A <[email protected]>wrote: > Its Asclepias curasavica from Asclepiadaceae > > Stephen... > > On Thu, Dec 18, 2008 at 3:34 PM, Gopakumar S <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Hello, >> Please help me to identify this plant. >> >> -- >> S. GOPAKUMAR >> Assistant Professor (SS) >> Dept. of Forest Management & Utilisation >> College of Forestry >> Kerala Agricultural University (www.kau.edu) >> Thrissur, Kerala, India >> Ph: 0487-2370050,2371018 (Extn-219) >> Fax: 0487-2371040, 9447890860 (Mob) >> www.foralkau.org >> >> >> > > > -- > > > Think about the Environment before printing this e-mail! ΓΌ > > > > > -- With regards, J.M.Garg "We often ignore the beauty around us" Creating Awareness about Indian Flora & Fauna: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 For learning about our trees & plants, please visit/ join Google e-group (Indiantreepix) http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "indiantreepix" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---

