What is "asclepias tuberosa"

Pleurisy \Pleu"ri*sy\, n. [F. pleur['e]sie, L. pleurisis, pleuritis, Gr pleyri^tis (sc. no`sos), fr. pleyra` rib, side.] (Med.) An inflammation of the pleura, usually accompanied with fever, pain, difficult respiration, and cough, and with exudation into the pleural cavity. Pleurisy root. (Bot.)

1. The large tuberous root of a kind of milkweed ( Asclepias tuberosa) which is used as a remedy for pleuritic and other diseases.

2. The plant itself, which has deep orange-colored flowers; -- called also butterfly weed.

chiggerflower \chiggerflower\ n. an erect perennial of eastern and southern U. S. ( Asclepias tuberosa) having showy orange flowers.

Syn: butterfly weed, orange milkweed, pleurisy root, tuber root, Indian paintbrush, Asclepias tuberosa. [WordNet 1.5] ||

Asclepias tuberosa is a species of milkweed native to eastern North America. It is a perennial plant growing to tall, with clustered orange or yellow flowers from early summer to early autumn. The leaves are spirally arranged, lanceolate, 5–12 cm long, and 2–3 cm broad.

This plant favors dry, sand or gravel soil, but has also been reported on stream margins. It requires full sun.

It is commonly known as butterfly weed because of the butterflies that are attracted to the plant by its color and its copious production of nectar. It is also the larval food plant of the Queen and Monarch butterflies. Hummingbirds, bees and other insects are also attracted.

Use of the plant is contraindicated in pregnancy, during lactation or with infants due to the small amount of cardiac glycosides.