December 2005

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=101 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="061785a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Ohio Prairie Association</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ohio Prairie Association"><B>home</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="may_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May 2008">May 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="id77.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="April 2008">April 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="march_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March 2008">March 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="february_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="February 2008">February 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="january_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January 2008">January 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="little_bluestem_prairie_gras.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="December 2007">December 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="november_207.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November 2007">November 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="october_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="October 2007">October 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="prai.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September 2007">September 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="august_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="August 2007">August 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="june_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July 2007">July 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="june_200771.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="June 2007">June 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="may_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May 2007">May 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="april_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="April 2007">April 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="march_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March 2007">March 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="polygala_sanquinea.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="February 2007">February 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="january_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January 2007">January 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="december_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="December 2006">December 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="novermber_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November 2006">November 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="october_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="October 2006">October 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="september_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September 2006">September 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="august_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="August 2006">August 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="july_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July 2006">July 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="june_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="June 2006">June 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="may_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May 2006">May 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="april_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="April 2006">April 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="id83.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March 2006">March 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="id82.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="February 2006">February 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="id81.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January 2006">January 2006</A>   |   <B>December 2005</B>   |   <A HREF="id79.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November 2005">November 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id78.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="October 2005">October 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id75.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="August 2005">August 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id74.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July 2005">July 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id72.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="June 2005">June 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id71.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May 2005">May 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id61.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="April 2005">April 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id55.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March 2005">March 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="February 2005">February 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id49.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January 2005">January 2005</A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="062d2b03.jpg"> <div> <IMG SRC="11dc6c50.jpg" border=0 width="198" height="197" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="11fc6180.jpg" border=0 width="198" height="280" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=379 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>December 2005</I></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="0b844400.jpg" border=0 width="68" height="64" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B><I><B>Ohio Prairie Plant of the Month</B></I></div> <div> <B>Species </B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#339933" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT></div> <div> Common Name <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" >Sullivant's Milkweed</FONT></div> <div> Latin Name: <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><I> Asclepias sullivantii </I></FONT> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >[Pronounced: "ass-KLEEP-ee-uss  sull-ih-VANT-ee-eye"]</FONT></div> <div> Type of Plant: <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#777777" FACE="Arial" >Prairie Forb ("wildflower")</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC6633" FACE="Arial" >Identification Helps: </FONT>When in flower in July and August, Sullivant's milkweed looks much like the common milkweed, <I>Asclepias syriaca,</I> a frequent species in both prairie and non-prairie areas in Ohio. But Sullivant's milkweed is best distinguished it's more erect leaves and the pink, embedded central vein running down the middle of the leaves. </div> <bR> <div> Late in the season, when seed pods form, they are smooth, even waxy. Common milkweed has rough-surfaced seed pods. </div> <bR> <div> Naturally occurring Sullivant's milkweed is virtually never encountered except in areas that were once native prairie. </div> <bR> <div> Similar Species: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > Common milkweed is very similar, but has more horizontal leaves that can be somewhat hairy. Common milkweed seed pods are rough. Sullivant's seed pods are smooth and sometimes waxy.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Preferred Growing Conditions in the Wild:<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#339933" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Sullivant's milkweed typically grows in native tallgrass prairies on mesic (normal moisture) or slight hydric (wet) sites. </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Seasons of Growth and Bloom: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >The species blooms from late June through July and sometimes into August. </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Natural Distribution in Ohio:<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#339933" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Sullivant's milkweed was found in all Ohio tallgrass prairies, except in sandy soils. </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Description and General Information: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >This rare prairie milkweed was first technically collected in the Darby Plains prairies west of Columbus. It was named for 19th century Columbus bryologist (moss expert) William Sterling Sullivant. Although closely related to the common milkweed, Sullivant's milkweed grows naturally only on original prairies. When planted from seeds, it can be grown in prairie restorations or reconstructions. It is a high quality prairie indicator.</FONT></div> </td> </tr></table></body>