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Matelea pubiflora
Trailing Milkvine
Sandhill Spiny Pod
Florida native
Endangered Florida species
Trailing milkvine is found in sandhills of the north and central peninsula from Madison County into Highlands County. Also known from several coastal plain counties in Georgia.
Matelia pubiflora is a slender vine-like prostrate herbaceous plant. The small bell-shaped flowers have five lobes, typically purplish-brown but sometimes greeninsh and appear in sessile cymes. Leaves are 2-4cm (~3/4 to 1-1/2 in.) long. Fruit is similar to many milkweeds, a lanceolate-shaped pod containing flattened seeds terminated with a tuft of white silky hair (called the coma).
The genus The species name pubiflora refers to having hairy flowers.
Like other members of the dogbane family, milkvine is a host plant for the Danaus genus of milkweed butterflies (in Florida monarch, queen and soldier).
Matelea pubiflora is a member of the Apocynaceae - Dogbane family.
Other species of the Matelea genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Matelea floridana - FLORIDA MILKVINE
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Nov 04, 2022
