A N F Keys
1 Plants having twining shoots
2 Blades triangular-ovate to triangular-lanceolate, 40−95 × 15−60 mm, especially when young downy short-tomentose; flowers 25−28 mm across, sweetly scented, showy and white; follicles ovoid with blunt tip, 90−120 × 70 mm, ± truncate at base, minutely puberulent appearing grayish green .. Araujia sericifera [pics]
2' Blades linear to narrowly lanceolate or narrowly triangular, 7.5−24 × 1.1−2.8 mm, sparsely puberulent with appressed, recurved hairs; flowers 5−6 mm across, nonshowy green and purplish brown and yellowish; follicles lanceoloid, 60−70 × 5 mm, narrowly tapered to tip, pubescent .. Funastrum cynanchoides var. hartwegii [pics]
1' Plants lacking twining shoots
3 Trailing plants with arching shoots on slender, flexible stems bearing paired leaves in 2-dimensions (plagiotropic); flowers axillary and only 1 per node, 40−60 mm across, with 5 spreading, asymmetric, blue corolla lobes .. Vinca major [pics]
3' Plants with tough stems arising from the ground, leaves not oriented in just 2 dimensions; flowers in terminal (axillary) clusters, not blue or having spreading corolla lobes
4 Plants soft-hairy, at least in inflorescence; leaves petiolate; umbel-like cyme; flowers highly specialized with elaborate design having appendages on corolla (corona) and stigma and anthers fused .. Asclepias
4' Plants glabrous throughout; leaves subsessile; cymes with several principal axes at base; flowers small, 2−2.5 mm across, with calyx, corolla, and stamens clearly recognizable .. Apocynum cannabinum [pics]
NB. The treatment here combines families Asclepiadaceae and Apocynaceae. Also found sometimes along creeks is the apocynoid cultivated shrub oleander, Nerium oleander, which has evergreen, whorled leaves and showy flowers. At each known location, if not originally planted there, it has apparently been carried downstream after being uprooted from a home landscape during a violent rainstorm. However, fertile fruits have never been observed in range, so that plants persist but currently are not becoming naturalized.
1 Shoots ± glabrous, blades narrowly lanceolate to lanceolate-linear, 3−18 mm wide; flowers 4.5−7 mm across; follicles narrowly fusiform, 75−120 × ca. 7 mm .. Asclepias fascicularis [pics]
1' Shoots densely white-tomentose to white-woolly, blades ovate or oblong to heart-shaped, 25−90 mm wide; flowers 11−18 mm across; follicles ovoid, typically 70−100 × ca. 35 mm
2 Leaves mostly opposite; flowers rose-purple; seeds 8−10 × 7−9 mm .. Asclepias californica [pics]
2' Leaves mostly in whorls of 3−4; flowers cream-colored; seeds 7−10 × 4−6 mm .. Asclepias eriocarpa [pics]
The text of the above keys used with permission from
A Naturalist's Flora of the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills, California
© Copyright
Barry A. Prigge and Arthur C. Gibson
2013