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Portfolio: Medicinal Plants of the Sicangu Lakota
Investigation
Asclepias verticillata also known as the whorled milkweed by Jake
1sagebrush24
Asclepias verticillata flower and plant. © 1sagebrush24
Lakota name: Waĥpẻ tiŋpsila
Listen to Lakota Plant Name: waĥpé tiŋ'psila
Scientific name: Asclepias verticillata
Common name: Whorled milkweed
Lakota medicinal uses: Lakota mothers use it when they don't have milk.
Toxicity: Very poisonous to livestock but is unpalatable and rarely consumed. It can cause problems when fed in hay.
Secondary compounds: The plant produces substances called cardenolides. A study says that the more cardenolides that you have in the trichomes (the hairs on the leaf) the better chance you have of reducing attacks by aphids, Aphis nerii.
Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
Molecular structure of a cardenolide © 1sagebrush24
Description: Whorled milkweed is a single or sparingly stemmed un-branched perennial, commonly over 2 feet tall. The narrow linear leaves are whorled along the stem. Small greenish-white flowers occur in flat-topped clusters on the upper part of the stem. Leaf base clasping the stem, strictly glabrous, sessile, ovate blades. Flowers have corolla lobes 4-5 mm long with a greenish-white color.
Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
Asclepias verticillata. Left: leaves and flowers © . Right: close-up of flowers © Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, United States.
Similar species: Carolina milkweed, Mexican milkweed
Flowering period: June to September
Distribution: It is located in all states except: Alaska, Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, New Hampshire, and Maine.
Habitat: Prairies, pastures, open woods, roadsides, and railroads.
Information on the Internet
References
Agrawal, A. A. 2004. Plant defense and density dependence in the population growth of herbivores. American Naturalist 164(1):113-120.
Education Standards
State Education Standards
- South Dakota Education Standards
- 9-12.L.1.1. Students are able to relate cellular functions and processes to specialized structures within cells.
- 9-12.L.1.2. Students are able to classify organisms using characteristics and evolutionary relationships of major taxa.
- 9-12.S.1.1. Students are able to explain ethical roles and responsibilities of scientists and scientific research.
- 9-12.S.1.2. Students are able to evaluate and describe the impact of scientific discoveries on historical events and social, economic, and ethical issues.
- 9-12.N.1.1. Students are able to evaluate a scientific discovery to determine and describe how societal, cultural, and personal beliefs influence scientific investigations and interpretations.
- 9-12.N.2.1. Students are able to apply science process skills to design and conduct student investigations. (Synthesis)
- 9-12.N.2.2. Students are able to practice safe and effective laboratory techniques.
National Education Standards
- National Education Standards
CONTENT STANDARD A: As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop
- Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
- Understandings about scientific inquiry
CONTENT STANDARD B: As a result of their activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop an understanding of
- Structure of atoms
- Structure and properties of matter
- Chemical reactions
- Motions and forces
- Conservation of energy and increase in disorder
- Interactions of energy and matter
CONTENT STANDARD C: As a result of their activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop understanding of
- The cell
- Molecular basis of heredity
- Biological evolution
- Interdependence of organisms
- Matter, energy, and organization in living systems
- Behavior of organisms
CONTENT STANDARD E: As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop
- Abilities of technological design
- Understandings about science and technology
CONTENT STANDARD F: As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop understanding of
- Personal and community health
- Population growth
- Natural resources
- Environmental quality
- Natural and human-induced hazards
- Science and technology in local, national, and global challenges
CONTENT STANDARD G: As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop understanding of
- Science as a human endeavor
- Nature of scientific knowledge
- Historical perspectives
About This Page
Author: 1sagebrush24
Classroom Project: Medicinal Plants of the Lakota Sioux
Lead-Deadwood High School
Lead, South Dakota United States
License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License - Version 3.0
Correspondence regarding this page should be directed to , Lead-Deadwood High School
Page copyright © 2008 1sagebrush24
Treehouses are authored by students, teachers, science enthusiasts, or professional scientists. Anyone can sign up as a treehouse contributor and share their knowledge and enthusiasm about organisms. Treehouse contributions are checked for general accuracy and quality by teachers and ToL editors, but they are not usually reviewed by expert scientists. If you spot an error, please get in touch with the author or the teacher. For more information about quality control of Tree of Life content, see Status of Tree of Life Pages.
About This Portfolio
I would like to acknowledge the following individuals for their help with this project:
- Rev. Raymond Bucko S.J., Creighton University Department of Sociology and Anthropology
- My student mentor Devan, Kim Loeffen, Tony Beisiot, Wade Mackey, and Sharon Burns for their technical help.
- F.J. Doody, Buechel Memorial Museum, St. Francis, S.D.
- Ben Black Bear Jr. for his audio of Lakota names, St. Francis, S.D. (Author of the Introduction of Dilwyn Rogers' Book of Father Buechel's research.)
- Katja Schulz Managing Editor ToL
- And mostly, my students for their perserverence!
Page copyright © 2008