List of Apocynaceae of South Africa explained

Apocynaceae (from Apocynum, Greek for "dog-away") is a family of flowering plants in the order Gentianales that includes trees, shrubs, herbs, stem succulents, and vines, commonly known as the dogbane family, because some taxa were used as dog poison. Members of the family are native to the European, Asian, African, Australian, and American tropics or subtropics, with some temperate members. The former family Asclepiadaceae (now known as Asclepiadoideae) is considered a subfamily of Apocynaceae and contains 348 genera. A list of Apocynaceae genera may be found here.

23,420 species of vascular plant have been recorded in South Africa, making it the sixth most species-rich country in the world and the most species-rich country on the African continent. Of these, 153 species are considered to be threatened. Nine biomes have been described in South Africa: Fynbos, Succulent Karoo, desert, Nama Karoo, grassland, savanna, Albany thickets, the Indian Ocean coastal belt, and forests.

The 2018 South African National Biodiversity Institute's National Biodiversity Assessment plant checklist lists 35,130 taxa in the phyla Anthocerotophyta (hornworts (6)), Anthophyta (flowering plants (33534)), Bryophyta (mosses (685)), Cycadophyta (cycads (42)), Lycopodiophyta (Lycophytes(45)), Marchantiophyta (liverworts (376)), Pinophyta (conifers (33)), and Pteridophyta (cryptogams (408)).

111 genera are represented in the literature. Listed taxa include species, subspecies, varieties, and forms as recorded, some of which have subsequently been allocated to other taxa as synonyms, in which cases the accepted taxon is appended to the listing. Multiple entries under alternative names reflect taxonomic revision over time.

Acokanthera

Genus Acokanthera:

Adenium

Genus Adenium:

Ancylobothrys

Genus Ancylobothrys:

Anisotoma

Genus Anisotoma:

Araujia

Genus Araujia:

Arduina

Genus Arduina:

Asclepias

Genus Asclepias:

Aspidoglossum

Genus Aspidoglossum:

Aspidonepsis

Genus Aspidonepsis:

Astephanus

Genus Astephanus:

Australluma

Genus Australluma:

Brachystelma

Genus Brachystelma:

Callichilia

Genus Callichilia:

Calotropis

Genus Calotropis:

Caralluma

Genus Caralluma:

Carandas

Genus Carandas:

Carissa

Genus Carissa:

Cascabela

Genus Cascabela:

Catharanthus

Genus Catharanthus:

Ceropegia

Genus Ceropegia:

Chlorocyathus

Genus Chlorocyathus:

Cordylogyne

Genus Cordylogyne:

Cryptolepis

Genus Cryptolepis:

Cryptostegia

Genus Cryptostegia:

Curroria

Genus Curroria:

Cynanchum

Genus Cynanchum:

Daemia

Genus Daemia:

Dichaelia

Genus Dichaelia:

Diplorhynchus

Genus Diplorhynchus:

Dregea

Genus Dregea:

Duvalia

Genus Duvalia:

Echites

Genus Echites:

Ectadiopsis

Genus Ectadiopsis:

Ectadium

Genus Ectadium:

Emplectanthus

Genus Emplectanthus:

Ephippiocarpa

Genus Ephippiocarpa:

Eustegia

Genus Eustegia:

Fanninia

Genus Fanninia:

Fockea

Genus Fockea:

Gomphocarpus

Genus Gomphocarpus:

Gonioma

Genus Gonioma:

Gymnema

Genus Gymnema:

Holarrhena

Genus Holarrhena:

Hoodia

Genus Hoodia:

Huernia

Genus Huernia:

Huerniopsis

Genus Huerniopsis:

Ischnolepis

Genus Ischnolepis:

Jasminonerium

Genus Jasminonerium:

Kanahia

Genus Kanahia:

Lagarinthus

Genus Lagarinthus:

Landolphia

Genus Landolphia:

Larryleachia

Genus Larryleachia:

Lavrania

Genus Lavrania:

Luckhoffia

Genus Luckhoffia:

Macropetalum

Genus Macropetalum:

Marsdenia

Genus Marsdenia:

Microloma

Genus Microloma:

Miraglossum

Genus Miraglossum:

Mondia

Genus Mondia:

Nerium

Genus Nerium:

Notechidnopsis

Genus Notechidnopsis:

Oncinema

Genus Oncinema:

Oncinotis

Genus Oncinotis:

Ophionella

Genus Ophionella:

Orbea

Genus Orbea:

Orbeanthus

Genus Orbeanthus:

Orbeopsis

Genus Orbeopsis:

Orthanthera

Genus Orthanthera:

Pachycarpus

Genus Pachycarpus:

Pachycymbium

Genus Pachycymbium:

Pachypodium

Genus Pachypodium:

Parapodium

Genus Parapodium:

Pectinaria

Genus Pectinaria:

Pentarrhinum

Genus Pentarrhinum:

Pentopetia

Genus Pentopetia:

Pergularia

Genus Pergularia:

Periglossum

Genus Periglossum:

Petopentia

Genus Petopentia:

Piaranthus

Genus Piaranthus:

Quaqua

Genus Quaqua:

Raphionacme

Genus Raphionacme:

Rauvolfia

Genus Rauvolfia:

Rhyssolobium

Genus Rhyssolobium:

Richtersveldia

Genus Richtersveldia:

Riocreuxia

Genus Riocreuxia:

Sarcostemma

Genus Sarcostemma:

Schizoglossum

Genus Schizoglossum:

Schizostephanus

Genus Schizostephanus:

Secamone

Genus Secamone:

Sisyranthus

Genus Sisyranthus:

Sphaerocodon

Genus Sphaerocodon:

Stapelia

Genus Stapelia:

Stapeliopsis

Genus Stapeliopsis:

Stenostelma

Genus Stenostelma:

Stomatostemma

Genus Stomatostemma:

Strophanthus

Genus Strophanthus:

Tabernaemontana

Genus Tabernaemontana:

Tacazzea

Genus Tacazzea:

Tavaresia

Genus Tavaresia:

Telosma

Genus Telosma:

Tenaris

Genus Tenaris:

Thevetia

Genus Thevetia:

Trachycalymma

Genus Trachycalymma:

Trichocaulon

Genus Trichocaulon:

Tridentea

Genus Tridentea:

Tromotriche

Genus Tromotriche:

Tylophora

Genus Tylophora, now included in Vincetoxicum:[1]

Vinca

Genus Vinca:

Voacanga

Genus Voacanga:

Woodia

Genus Woodia:

Wrightia

Genus Wrightia:

Xysmalobium

Genus Xysmalobium:

Hybrids

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Search for Tylophora R.Br. . Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2023-02-16 .