Cynanchum

Cynanchum
In the foreground, Cynanchum aphyllum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Genus: Cynanchum
L.
Species

About 300, see text.

Synonyms[1]
  • Alexitoxicon St.-Lag.
  • Antitoxicum Pobed.
  • Cyathella Decne.
  • Cynanchum bricenoi Morillo
  • Cynoctonum E. Mey.
  • Decanema Decne.
  • Decanemopsis Costantin & Gallaud
  • Drepanostemma Jum. & H. Perrier
  • Exostegia Bojer ex Decne.
  • Folotsia Costantin & Bois
  • Karimbolea Desc.
  • Mahafalia Jum. & H. Perrier
  • Mellichampia A. Gray
  • Nematostemma Choux
  • Platykeleba N.E. Br.
  • Prosopostelma Baill.
  • Pycnoneurum Decne.
  • Pycnostelma Bunge ex Decne.
  • Rhodostegiella (Pobed.) C.Y. Wu & D.Z. Li
  • Roulinia Decne.
  • Rouliniella Vail
  • Sarcocyphula Harv.
  • Seutera Rchb.
  • Symphyoglossum Turcz.
  • Vincetoxicum Wolf
  • Voharanga Costantin & Bois
  • Vohemaria Buchenau

Cynanchum is a genus of about 300 species including some swallowworts, belonging to the family Apocynaceae. The taxon name comes from Greek kynos (meaning "dog") and anchein ("to choke"), hence the common name for several species is dog-strangling vine. Most species are non-succulent climbers or twiners. There is some evidence of toxicity.[2]

Morphology

These plants are perennial herbs or subshrubs, often growing from rhizomes. The leaves are usually oppositely arranged and sometimes are borne on petioles. The inflorescences and flowers come in a variety of shapes.

Like other species of the milkweed family, these plants bear follicles, which are podlike dry fruits.

Distribution

These species are found throughout the tropics and subtropics. Several species also grow in temperate regions.

Importance

The root of Cynanchum atratum is used in Chinese traditional medicine and called Bai wei. Several other species had traditional Chinese medicinal uses.

Cynanchum louiseae (black swallowwort) and Cynanchum rossicum (pale swallowwort) are troublesome noxious weeds in parts of North America.[3][4]

Classification

Cynanchum as defined in the late 20th century (to include about 400 species) is polyphyletic and is being broken up. Species are being moved to genera including Orthosia, Pentarrhinum, and Vincetoxicum, with a group of mostly Old World species staying in Cynanchum.[5][6]

Species

Species include:

  • Cynanchum acuminatifolium
  • Cynanchum acutum
  • Cynanchum altiscandens[7]
  • Cynanchum amplexicaule
  • Cynanchum andringitrense
  • Cynanchum angustifolium
  • Cynanchum anthonyanum
  • Cynanchum aphyllum
  • Cynanchum atratum
  • Cynanchum auriculatum
  • Cynanchum arizonicum – Arizona swallow-wort or Arizona climbing milkweed
  • Cynanchum barbigerum – bearded swallowwort
  • Cynanchum batangense
  • Cynanchum bicampanulatum
  • Cynanchum biondioides
  • Cynanchum boudieri
  • Cynanchum brevicoronatum
  • Cynanchum bungei
  • Cynanchum callialatum
  • Cynanchum canescens
  • Cynanchum carnosum
  • Cynanchum chekiangense
  • Cynanchum chinense
  • Cynanchum christineae
  • Cynanchum compactum
  • Cynanchum corymbosum
  • Cynanchum danguyanum
  • Cynanchum decipiens
  • Cynanchum duclouxii
  • Cynanchum elegans
  • Cynanchum ellipticum
  • Cynanchum erubescens
  • Cynanchum fordii
  • Cynanchum formosanum
  • Cynanchum forrestii
  • Cynanchum giraldii
  • Cynanchum glaucescens
  • Cynanchum floribundum – Dumara bush
  • Cynanchum gortsianum
  • Cynanchum heydei
  • Cynanchum hydrophilum
  • Cynanchum inamoenum
  • Cynanchum insulanum
  • Cynanchum junciforme
  • Cynanchum kingdonwardii
  • Cynanchum kintungense
  • Cynanchum komarovii
  • Cynanchum kwangsiense
  • Cynanchum laeve - honeyvine
  • Cynanchum lineare
  • Cynanchum linearisepalum
  • Cynanchum longipedunculatum
  • Cynanchum louiseae – Louise's swallowwort or black swallow-wort
  • Cynanchum lysimachioides
  • Cynanchum macrolobum
  • Cynanchum marnieranum
  • Cynanchum megalanthum
  • Cynanchum mongolicum
  • Cynanchum mooreanum
  • Cynanchum nigrum
  • Cynanchum officinale
  • Cynanchum otophyllum
  • Cynanchum paniculatum
  • Cynanchum pedunculatum
  • Cynanchum perrieri
  • Cynanchum pingshanicum
  • Cynanchum puberulum
  • Cynanchum purpureum
  • Cynanchum racemosum
  • Cynanchum riparium
  • Cynanchum rockii
  • Cynanchum rossicum – pale swallowwort, dog-strangling swallowwort, dog-strangling vine
  • Cynanchum sinoracemosum
  • Cynanchum staubii
  • Cynanchum stauntonii
  • Cynanchum stenophyllum
  • Cynanchum sublanceolatum
  • Cynanchum szechuanense
  • Cynanchum taihangense
  • Cynanchum thesioides
  • Cynanchum utahense – Utah swallow-wort or Utah vine milkweed
  • Cynanchum versicolor
  • Cynanchum verticillatum
  • Cynanchum vincetoxicum – white swallowwort
  • Cynanchum volubile
  • Cynanchum wallichii
  • Cynanchum wangii
  • Cynanchum wilfordii

References

  1. ↑ "Tropicos.org". Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Plants for a Future Database".
  3. ↑ NPS Alien Plants Fact Sheet
  4. ↑ Krishna Ramanujan (2014) "Invasive vines swallow up New York’s natural areas." Cornell Chronicle, April 23, 2014.
  5. ↑ Alan S. Weakley (April 2008). "Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and Surrounding Areas".
  6. ↑ Sigrid Liede and Angelika Tauber (Oct–Dec 2002). "Circumscription of the Genus Cynanchum (Apocynaceae-Asclepiadoideae)". Systematic Botany 27 (4): 789–800. JSTOR 3093924.
  7. ↑ Bussmann, R. W., et al. (2006). Plant use of the Maasai of Sekenani Valley, Maasai Mara, Kenya. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 2 22.

External sources

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