General: Spider Milkweed (Asclepias asperula) is a perennial forb that grows as an upright shrub with long, narrow, alternate leaves. Clusters of milkweed flowers occur at the end of each upright stem. Stem leaves persistent, narrow-linear; 1 per node (alternate or whorled in sets of three).

Spider Milkweed is an uncommon component of vegetation communities in dry, well-drained gravelly areas on upper bajadas into the lower mountains in the Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub and Pinyon-Juniper Woodland), and Transition (Yellow Pine Forest) life zones.

Around Las Vegas, look for Spider Milkweed at Red Rock Canyon NCA, in Spring Mountains NRA, and in Desert NWR.

Family: Milkweed (Asclepiadaceae). Also called Antelope Horns.