Cynanchum Explained

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.[1]

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.

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,[2] [3] and old genera such as Raphistemma brought to synonymy. Revision of the genus taxonomy in 2023 identified two new synonyms: Vincetoxicum sibiricum f. linearifolium, described from Shandong, China in 1877, but long neglected and Cynanchum gobicum, previously believed to be endemic to Mongolia.[4]

Species

, Plants of the World Online accepted the following species:[5]

Former species

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Plants for a Future Database.
  2. Web site: Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and Surrounding Areas . Alan S. Weakley . April 2008 . 2009-06-08 . 2018-10-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181006082209/http://herbarium.unc.edu/flora.htm . dead .
  3. 3093924 . Circumscription of the Genus Cynanchum (Apocynaceae-Asclepiadoideae) . Sigrid Liede and Angelika Tauber . Systematic Botany . 27 . 4 . Oct–Dec 2002 . 789–800 . 10.1043/0363-6445-27.4.789 . 31 January 2024 .
  4. A taxonomic revision of Cynanchum thesioides (Apocynaceae) with two new synonyms . Cai-Fei Zhang, Dong-Juan Zhang, Miao Liao, Guang-Wan Hu . PhytoKeys . 219 . 19 January 2023 . 11–25 . 10.3897/phytokeys.219.93514 . 37252452 . 10210048 . 256161021 . free .
  5. Web site: Cynanchum L.. . . n.d. . Plants of the World Online . The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . February 3, 2023.
  6. Bussmann R. W.. et al . 2006 . Plant use of the Maasai of Sekenani Valley, Maasai Mara, Kenya . J Ethnobiol Ethnomed . 2 . 22 . 1475560 . 16674830 . 10.1186/1746-4269-2-22 . free .

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