Taxon:  Gomphocarpus physocarpus E. Mey.



Summary
Genus:
Gomphocarpus
Family:
Apocynaceae
Subfamily:
Asclepiadoideae
Tribe:
Asclepiadeae
Subtribe:
Asclepiadinae
Nomen number:
17854
Place of publication:
E. H. F. Meyer & J. F. Drège, Comm. pl. Afr. austr. 202.  1838
Verified:
03/28/2006 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
2 (0  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Homotypic Synonym(s)
Asclepias physocarpa (E. Mey.) Schltr.

Images (2 total. Click on image for more.)
Embryo drawing

Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. Adams, C. 1972. Flowering plants of Jamaica Note: = Asclepias physocarpa (E. Mey.) Schltr.
  2. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  3. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  4. Backer, C. A. & R. C. Bakhuizen van den Brink, Jr. 1963-1968. Flora of Java.
  5. Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes.
  6. Bruyns, P. V. 1996. pers. comm. Note: re. common names
  7. Cufodontis, G. 1953-1972. Enumeratio plantarum aethiopiae: Spermatophyta.
  8. Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
  9. Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
  10. Figueiredo, E. & G. F. Smith. 2008. Plants of Angola. Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
  11. Fontella P., J. 1996. pers. comm. Note: re. common names
  12. Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
  13. George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
  14. Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: = Asclepias physocarpa (E. Mey.) Schltr.
  15. Goyder, D. J. & A. Nicholas. 2001. A revision of Gomphocarpus R. Br. (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadeae). Kew Bull. 56:788-790.
  16. Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
  17. Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening Note: = Asclepias physocarpa (E. Mey.) Schltr.
  18. Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
  19. Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
  20. Jagtap. A. P. & N. P. Singh. 1999. Asclepiadaceae. In: Botanical Survey of India, Fascicles of flora of India. 24:27-28.
  21. Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
  22. Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
  23. Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada Note: = Asclepias physocarpa (E. Mey.) Schltr.
  24. Nicholas, A. 2001. pers. comm. via e-mail to J. R. Hosking on 21 Apr 1999 (recvd. 28 Feb)
  25. Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia.
  26. Reitz, R., ed. 1965-. Flora ilustrada catarinense.
  27. Schijff, H. P. van der. 1969. A check-list of the vascular plants of the Kruger national park.
  28. St. John, H. 1973. List and summary of the flowering plants in the Hawaiian islands
  29. Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition). Note: cultivated
  30. 1961. Webster's third new international dictionary. Note: = Asclepias physocarpa (E. Mey.) Schltr.
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishballoon cottonbush  1Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia.
Englishbladderbush  1Bruyns, P. V. 1996. pers. comm. Note: re. common names
Englishcottonbush  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Englishnarrow-leaf cottonbush  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Englishswanplant as Asclepias physocarpa1Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 2:1223. Note: as Asclepias physocarpa
Englishwild cotton as Asclepias physocarpa11961. Webster's third new international dictionary. Note: = Asclepias physocarpa (E. Mey.) Schltr.
GermanSchwanen-Seidenpflanze as Asclepias physocarpa2Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 2:1223. Note: as Asclepias physocarpa
Portuguesepaina-de-seda  2Fontella P., J. 1996. pers. comm. Note: re. common names
Swedishmonarkballongbuske  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaMozambique s.Goyder, D. J. & A. Nicholas. 2001. A revision of Gomphocarpus R. Br. (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadeae). Kew Bull. 56:788-790.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaEswatini  Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: = Asclepias physocarpa (E. Mey.) Schltr.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaEastern Cape Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: = Asclepias physocarpa (E. Mey.) Schltr.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaKwaZulu-Natal Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: = Asclepias physocarpa (E. Mey.) Schltr.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaLimpopo Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: = Asclepias physocarpa (E. Mey.) Schltr.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaMpumalanga Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: = Asclepias physocarpa (E. Mey.) Schltr.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaNorth-West Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: = Asclepias physocarpa (E. Mey.) Schltr.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaWestern Cape Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: = Asclepias physocarpa (E. Mey.) Schltr.
4NaturalizedAfricaEast Tropical AfricaKenya  Goyder, D. J. & A. Nicholas. 2001. A revision of Gomphocarpus R. Br. (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadeae). Kew Bull. 56:788-790.
4NaturalizedAfricaEast Tropical AfricaTanzania  Goyder, D. J. & A. Nicholas. 2001. A revision of Gomphocarpus R. Br. (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadeae). Kew Bull. 56:788-790.
4NaturalizedAfricaEast Tropical AfricaUganda  Goyder, D. J. & A. Nicholas. 2001. A revision of Gomphocarpus R. Br. (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadeae). Kew Bull. 56:788-790.
4NaturalizedAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaAngola  Figueiredo, E. & G. F. Smith. 2008. Plants of Angola. Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
4NaturalizedAfricaWestern Indian OceanMauritiusRodrigues Island Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes.
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateChinaHong Kong   
4NaturalizedAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndia  Jagtap. A. P. & N. P. Singh. 1999. Asclepiadaceae. In: Botanical Survey of India, Fascicles of flora of India. 24:27-28.
4NaturalizedAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentSri Lanka  Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
4NaturalizedAustralasiaAustraliaAustralia  Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
4NaturalizedPacificNorth-Central PacificUnited StatesHawaii Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedPacificSouth-Central PacificFrench Polynesia  Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedPacificSouthwestern PacificNew Caledonia  Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilBahia Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilGoiás Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilMinas Gerais Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilParaíba Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilParaná Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilRio de Janeiro Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilSanta Catarina Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilSão Paulo Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilSergipe Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanCuba  Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanJamaica  Adams, C. 1972. Flowering plants of Jamaica Note: = Asclepias physocarpa (E. Mey.) Schltr.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaCosta Rica  Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaEl Salvador  Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaHonduras  Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaPanama  Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaNorthern South AmericaVenezuela  Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaBolivia  Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaColombia  Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaEcuador  Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaPeru  Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
Native
Africa
  • SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Mozambique (s.)
  • SOUTHERN AFRICA: Eswatini, South Africa [Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Western Cape]
Naturalized
Africa
  • EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
  • SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Angola
  • WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN: Mauritius [Rodrigues Island]
Asia-Temperate
  • CHINA: Hong Kong
Asia-Tropical
  • INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India, Sri Lanka
Australasia
  • AUSTRALIA: Australia
Pacific
  • NORTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: United States [Hawaii]
  • SOUTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: French Polynesia
  • SOUTHWESTERN PACIFIC: New Caledonia
Southern America
  • CARIBBEAN: Cuba, Jamaica
  • CENTRAL AMERICA: Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, El Salvador
  • NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Venezuela
  • BRAZIL: Brazil [Bahia, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Paraíba, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Sergipe]
  • WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru

Reference(s)
  1. Adams, C. 1972. Flowering plants of Jamaica Note: = Asclepias physocarpa (E. Mey.) Schltr.
  2. Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes.
  3. Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
  4. Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
  5. Figueiredo, E. & G. F. Smith. 2008. Plants of Angola. Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
  6. Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
  7. Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: = Asclepias physocarpa (E. Mey.) Schltr.
  8. Goyder, D. J. & A. Nicholas. 2001. A revision of Gomphocarpus R. Br. (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadeae). Kew Bull. 56:788-790.
  9. Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
  10. Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
  11. Jagtap. A. P. & N. P. Singh. 1999. Asclepiadaceae. In: Botanical Survey of India, Fascicles of flora of India. 24:27-28.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Medicinesfolklore Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition). Note: cultivated
Vertebrate poisonsmammalsas Asclepias fruticosusLazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
Vertebrate poisonsmammalsas Asclepias physocarpaKellerman, T. S. et al. 1988. Plant poisonings and mycotoxicoses of livestock in Southern Africa Note: poisonous
Weed  Bruyns, P. V. 1996. pers. comm. Note: re. common names
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=17854. Accessed 12 May 2026.