About Funastrum cynanchoides (Decne.) Schltr.
Funastrum cynanchoides (Decne.) Schltr. is a twining, vine-like plant that grows over other shrubs. Its leaves are narrow, arrowhead-shaped, arranged oppositely, and measure 2.5 to 3.8 centimeters (1 to 1½ inches) long. Flowers range from pink to purplish, and are borne in umbrella-shaped umbel heads that can reach up to 10 cm (4 inches) wide. The fruit is 7.5 to 10 cm (3 to 4 inches) long, and it produces tufted seeds that are about 3.5 cm (1½ inches) long. This species occurs from Southern California to Utah, Oklahoma, and Texas. It grows along the edges of desert dry washes in the eastern Mojave Desert and Sonoran Desert, at altitudes below 610 meters (2,000 feet). In urban settings, the vine readily climbs on plants and trees, and it prefers growing on chain-link fencing in neglected areas. Like other milkweeds, its flowers are actively visited and fed on by butterflies.
