Asclepias oenotheroides

In my new book Asclepias, character Cliff House takes Tony to the location of a new species of milkweed recently discovered in Arizona.  The new milkweed is called Asclepias oenotheroides, also Yerba de Zizotes.  This story is actually true, except rather than the fictional Cliff House discovering the new species, it was the real Christopher Kline.  Asclepias oenotheroides had been found once in Arizona, prior to my finding it.  However, it had been misidentified, with the correction being made after my finding the plant.  The misidentified population consisted of a single plant northeast of Portal.  The population I found consisted of around 40 plants, and the exact location of the population is detailed in my novel.

In Asclepias, Cliff comments to Tony how the county blades the roadside of Portal Road down to bare soil.  Cliff expresses concern how long the new milkweed will be able to survive this abuse.  Cochise County does, in fact, blade this roadside down to bare soil.  And, probably because of that, three years after I had found it, it was gone.  I found Asclepias oenotheroides in August of 2006.  In September of 2009, there was not a single plant of Asclepias oenotheroides.  In September of 2011, there still was not a single plant.

By the way, the county did finally fence the roadside of Portal Road.  Black cows walking around on Portal Road at night had in fact caused accidents when I first started visiting the area.  Fortunately, not any more!

Asclepias oenotheroides

Portal Road, looking toward Portal.