Scientific Family
Asclepiadaceae
Synonyms
Gonolobus productus
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Perennial
Similar species
Matelea parvifolia
Height
12 to 24 feet
Riparian
No
Twining vines from a woody base.
Two species of Matelea documented in Yavapai County, both trailing or twining plants. The bright green broader leaves and greenish-yellow flower of this species distinguish this from M. parvifolia .
Habitat
Desert grasslands, chaparral, alluvial thickets, mountains.
Plant Community
Desert Scrub
Grasslands
Interior Chaparral
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Low elevation
3000
High elevation
5500
Flower Characteristics
Umbrella-like flower clusters, flowers about 1/2 inch long; sepal lobes, half the length of the petals; petals greenish yellow, hairy outside, hairless inside; crown deep within flower tube, cup-shaped, about as long as stigma head.
Flower color
Greenish-yellow
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
Yes
First bloom month
April
Last bloom month
August
Flower clusters
Rounded
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Leaves are heart-shaped and are strongly white veined. The stems contain a milky sap.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Triangular
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Fruit is oval, winged and smooth.
Fruit type
Pod