Asclepiadoideae

Taxonomy

The Subfamily Asclepiadoideae is further organized into finer groupings including:

• Tribe (4): Asclepiadeae · Ceropegieae · Marsdenieae · Stylidieae
• Genus (43): Absolmsia · Adelostemma · Asclepias · Astephanus · Biondia · Brachystelma · Calotropis · Caralluma · Ceropegia · Cynanchum · Dischidia · Diselma · Ditassa · Edithcolea · Fockea · Funastrum · Gomphocarpus · Gonolobus · Graphistemma · Gymnema · Hiernia · Holostemma · Hoodia · Hoya · Huernia · Leptadenia · Marsdenia · Matelea · Merrillanthus · Metaplexis · Metastelma · Orbea · Oxypetalum · Oxystelma · Pachycarpus · Pentastelma · Raphistemma · Sarcolobus · Sarcostemma · Stapelia · Stylidium · Telosma · Tylophora
• Species: ZipcodeZoo has pages for 5,935 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in the Subfamily Asclepiadoideae.

Genera

Absolmsia

Absolmsia is a genus of flowering plants of the family Apocynaceae of two species, native to Southwest of China and Borneo. [more]

Adelostemma

Lianas. Leaves opposite, petiolate. Cymes extra-axillary, racemelike, pedunculate. Flowers small. Calyx glands 5. Corolla campanulate; lobes short, overlapping to right. Corona with up to 5 minute, membranous, triangular lobes; lobes inserted opposite anthers at base of stalked gynostegium, sometimes absent. Anther appendages oblong; pollinia 2 per pollinarium, ovoid, waxy, pendulous, translator arms threadlike, corpusculum ovoid. Stigma head club-shaped, apex exserted. Follicles usually solitary, pericarp papillose. Seeds flat, margin membranous, with white silky coma.^[1] [more]

Asclepias

Asclepias L. (1753), the milkweeds, is a genus of herbaceous perennial, dicotyledonous plants that contains over 140 known species. It previously belonged to the family Asclepiadaceae, but this is now classified as the subfamily Asclepiadoideae of the dogbane family Apocynaceae. [more]

Astephanus

[more]

Biondia

Biondia is a genus of plant in family Apocynaceae. It contains the following species (but this list may be incomplete): [more]

Brachystelma

Brachystelma is a genus of plant in family Apocynaceae. It contains the following species (but this list may be incomplete): [more]

Calotropis

Calotropis is a genus of flowering plants in the dogbane family, Apocynaceae. They are commonly known as milkweeds because of the sap they produce. Calotropis species are considered common weeds in some parts of the world. The flowers are fragrant and are often used in making floral tassels in some mainland Southeast Asian cultures. Fibers of these plants are called madar or mader. The plant is known as aak in Ayurveda and was used in cases of cutaneous diseases, intestinal worms, cough, ascites, asthma, bronchitis, dyspepsia, paralysis, swellings, intermittent fevers, anorexia, inflammations and tumors. In large doses, Arka is known to act as a purgative and an emetic. [more]

Caralluma

Caralluma is a genus of plants consisting of about 120 species. Once classified in the family Asclepiadaceae, it is now in the subfamily Asclepiadoideae of the dogbane family Apocynaceae. Most of the species occur in Africa, including several taxa valued by people for their medicinal properties. One species, Caralluma edulis is eaten as a vegetable. [more]

Ceropegia

Ceropegia is a genus of plants within the family Apocynaceae. It was named by Carl Linnaeus, who first described this genus in volume 1 of his Species plantarum, which appeared in 1753. Linnaeus thought that the flowers looked like a fountain of wax. From this the scientific name was derived: ?keros? meaning wax and ?pege? meaning fountain (Pooley, 1998). They have many common names including lantern flower, parasol flower, parachute flower, bushman?s pipe, string of hearts, snake creeper, wine-glass vine, rosary vine, and necklace vine. [more]

Cynanchum

Subshrubs or perennial herbs, erect or twining, often rhizomatous. Roots fibrous, woody or fleshy. Leaves opposite, rarely whorled, often petiolate, axils sometimes with small stipulelike leaves. Inflorescences extra-axillary or occasionally terminal, rarely axillary, umbel-like, corymbose, or racemelike. Sepals erect, often with basal glands. Corolla rotate or subrotate; tube short; lobes patent or reflexed, overlapping to right or left, rarely subvalvate. Corona inserted at base of gynostegium, membranous or fleshy, cupular, cylindric, or deeply 5-divided, sometimes with adaxial appendages. Filaments connate into tube, anthers with membranous apical appendages; pollinia 2 per pollinarium, pendulous. Stigma head convex or short conical. Follicles fusiform or lanceolate, usually smooth, rarely narrowly winged or setose.^[2] [more]

Dischidia

Dischidia is a genus of plants in the Milkweed family, Asclepiadaceae. It comprises about 80 known species which all grow as epiphytes and are native to tropical areas of China, India and most areas of Indo-China. Dischidia are closely aligned with the sister genus Hoya. Unlike Hoya, the genus Dischidia, is poorly known and has not been studied as closely. [more]

Diselma

Diselma archeri (syn. Fitzroya archeri (Hook.f.) Benth. & Hook.) is a species of plant of the family Cupressaceae and the sole species in the genus Diselma. It is found in Tasmania, on the western coast ranges and Lake St. Clair, at an altitude ranging from 910-1220 m. [more]

Ditassa

[more]

Edithcolea

[more]

Fockea

[more]

Funastrum

[more]

Gomphocarpus

Shrubs or subshrubs, erect. Leaves opposite or whorled, short petiolate. Cymes extra-axillary, umbel-like, pendent, many flowered. Calyx glands 5 or more. Corolla rotate, deeply lobed; lobes patent or reflexed, valvate. Corona lobes 5, inserted on gynostegium, erect, hood-shaped, apex with 2 recurved or straight adaxial cusps, hood not appendaged. Filaments connate into a tube; anther appendages incurved; pollinia 2 per pollinarium, oblong, pendulous. Stigma head depressed. Follicles broadly ovoid, inflated, pericarp usually with long, soft spines or bristles. Seeds oblong.^[3] [more]

Gonolobus

Gonolobus is a genus of in family Asclepiadaceae. [more]

Graphistemma

Lianas. Leaves opposite, stipulate. Cymes extra-axillary, short pedunculate, racemelike, usually simple. Flowers large. Calyx glands present. Corolla subrotate, thick; lobes longer than tube, overlapping to right. Corona ringlike, inserted at base of gynostegium, deeply 5-lobed; lobes erect, membranous, revolute, separated by truncate sinus, shorter than anthers. Filaments connate into a tube; anthers somewhat concave at middle, appendages rounded, covering stigma head; pollinia 2 per pollinarium, oblong, pendulous. Stigma head elevated. Follicles ovoid-cylindric, woody. Seeds ovate.^[4] [more]

Gymnema

Lianas. Cymes often racemelike, sessile or short pedunculate, often 2 at a node. Flowers small. Calyx with basal glands. Corolla campanulate; lobes ca. as long as tube, twisted to right or subvalvate, interior of tube with 5 longitudinal ridges, sometimes produced into fleshy appendages and/or with lines of hairs along each side. Corona lobes otherwise absent. Filaments connate into a tube; anthers erect, apical appendages membranous; pollinia 2 per pollinarium, oblong, erect. Stigma head hemispherical, obtusely conical or clavate and beaked, exceeding anthers. Follicles solitary or paired and widely divergent, ovoid to strongly beaked, often broad at base.^[5] [more]

Hiernia

Holostemma

Holostemma is a genus of two species of flowering plants belonging to the plant family Asclepiadaceae, now considered to be part of the Apocynaceae. They are native to southern Asia. [more]

Hoodia

Hoodia () is a genus of 13 species in the flowering plant family Apocynaceae, under the subfamily Asclepiadoideae. They are stem succulents, described as "cactiform" because of their remarkable similarity to the unrelated cactus family. They can reach up to 1m high and have large flowers, often with tan color and strong smell. [more]

Hoya

Hoya is a genus of 200-230 species of tropical climbing plants in the family Apocynaceae (Dogbane), native to southern Asia (India east to southern China and southward), Australia, and Polynesia. Common names for this genus are waxplant, waxvine, waxflower or simply hoya. This genus was named by botanist Robert Brown, in honour of his friend, botanist Thomas Hoy. [more]

Huernia

The genus Huernia (family Asclepiadaceae consists of some (30-)60 species of stem succulents from Eastern and Southern Africa. The flowers are five-lobed, usually somewhat more funnel- or bell-shaped than in the closely related genus Stapelia, and often striped vividly in contrasting colors or tones, some glossy, others matt and wrinkled depending on the species concerned. To pollinate, the flowers attract flies by emitting a scent similar to that of carrion. The genus is considered close to the genera Stapelia and Hoodia. The name is in honour of Justin Heurnius (1587?1652) a Dutch missionary who is reputed to have been the first collector of South African Cape plants. His name was actually mis-spelt by the collector. [more]

Leptadenia

[more]

Marsdenia

Marsdenia is a genus of plant in family Apocynaceae. It contains the following species (but this list may be incomplete): [more]

Matelea

Matelea is a genus of in family Apocynaceae. There are about 200 species. [more]

Merrillanthus

Lianas. Leaves opposite, long petiolate. Cymes irregularly branched with racemelike cymules, long pedunculate. Calyx glands 5. Corolla shallowly bowl-shaped, divided halfway; lobes overlapping to right. Corona lobes 5, inserted on gynostegium, erect, fleshy, oval, turgid, shorter than anthers. Anther appendages membranous, ovate, overlying stigma head; pollinia 2 per pollinarium, oblong, horizontal, caudicles obliquely ascending. Stigma head discoid. Follicles broadly fusiform, mesocarp fibrous. Seeds ovate.^[6] [more]

Metaplexis

Lianas or scandent subshrubs. Leaves opposite, long petiolate. Inflorescences long pedunculate, racemelike with cymules laxly arranged along well-developed rachis. Calyx with 5 basal glands. Corolla subrotate; lobes longer than tube, twisted to left. Corona ringlike, inserted at base of gynostegium, rim 5-lobed; lobes hoodlike. Filaments connate into a short tube; anther appendages incurved; pollinia 2 per pollinarium, oblong or ovate-oblong, pendulous. Stigma head long beaked, 2-cleft or entire, exserted beyond anther appendages. Follicles fusiform or oblong, pericarp muricate, rugose, or smooth. Seeds ovate.^[7] [more]

Metastelma

Metastelma is a genus of in family Apocynaceae. [more]

Orbea

A Genus in the Kingdom Plantae. [more]

Oxypetalum

Tweedia (syn Oxypetalum) is a genus of one species of straggling perennial grown for its clear pale blue, star shaped flowers, which are long lasting and cut well. [more]

Oxystelma

Lianas, woody at base. Cymes extra-axillary, lax, racemelike or umbel-like, rarely a solitary flower, pedunculate. Flower buds globose. Calyx glands 5 or many. Corolla bowl-shaped; lobes basally valvate and apically overlapping to right. Corona in 2 series: outer corona at base of corolla tube, annular, truncate, margin membranous; inner series of 5 ovate-lanceolate lobes attached to gynostegium and exceeding anthers. Filaments short, connate into a tube; anthers with appendages; pollinia 2 per pollinarium, pendulous, on long translator arms. Stigma head convex. Follicles solitary or paired, oblong or ovate-lanceolate in outline, smooth.^[8] [more]

Pachycarpus

[more]

Pentastelma

Pentastelma is a genus of plant in family Apocynaceae. It contains the following species (but this list may be incomplete): [more]

Raphistemma

Lianas woody. Leaves opposite, long petiolate, 3-5-veined from base. Inflorescences extra-axillary, umbel-like to short racemelike, large, long pedunculate. Calyx with many basal glands. Corolla campanulate, large; lobes overlapping to right. Corona lobes separate, inserted at base of gynostegium, linear-subulate, longer than gynostegium and exserted from corolla tube. Filaments connate; anther appendages short, sharply bent; pollinia 2 per pollinarium, ellipsoid, pendulous. Stigma head broadly rounded, depressed. Follicles fusiform or cylindric, thick, with a fibrous pericarp. Seeds ovate.^[9] [more]

Sarcolobus

Sarcostemma

Sarcostemma is a genus of at least 35 species of plants in family Asclepiadaceae. These are known generally as climbing milkweeds or caustic bushes. They are found across Africa and tropical Asia, in Australia, and in parts of North America. These plants are perennial flowering shrubs with trailing vines or lianas. They are often adapted to heat and/or desert conditions. Some have few or no leaves and photosynthesize in the tissues of the green stems. The soft stems are filled with a milky white latex that is poisonous and caustic in some species. The flowers have a ring of thick tissue at the base which extends into hollow spherical appendages within the flower corolla. [more]

Stapelia

The genus Stapelia consists of around 40 of low growing, spineless, stem succulent plants, predominantly from South Africa. The flowers of certain species, most notably Stapelia gigantea, can reach 41 cm (16 inches) in diameter when fully open. Most Stapelia flowers are visibly hairy and generate the odour of rotten flesh, a notable exception is the sweetly scented Stapelia flavopurpurea. Such odours serve to attract various specialist pollinators including, in the case of carrion scented blooms, blow flies of the dipteran family Calliphoridae. They frequently lay eggs around the coronae of Stapelia flowers, convinced by the plants' deception. [more]

Stylidium

Stylidium (also known as triggerplants or trigger plants) is a genus of dicotyledonous plants that belong to the family Stylidiaceae. The genus name Stylidium is derived from the Greek st???? or stylos (column or pillar), which refers to the distinctive reproductive structure that its flowers possess. Pollination is achieved through the use of the sensitive "trigger", which comprises the male and female reproductive organs fused into a floral column that snaps forward quickly in response to touch, harmlessly covering the insect in pollen. Most of the approximately 300 species are only found in Australia, making it the fifth largest genus in that country. Triggerplants are considered to be protocarnivorous or carnivorous because the glandular trichomes that cover the scape and flower can trap, kill, and digest small insects with protease enzymes produced by the plant. [more]

Telosma

Lianas. Leaves opposite, long petiolate. Cymes extra-axillary, pendulous, rachis laxly branched. Calyx with 5 glands at base. Corolla tube cylindric, with enlarged base, throat sometimes constricted; lobes patent, twisted to right. Corona lobes 5, adnate to base of staminal tube, margin and apex free, erect, oblong, obtuse, with ligulate inner lobes adnate to near apex, or corona lobes notched. Filaments connate into a tube; membranous anther appendages incurved; pollinia 2 per pollinarium, oblong, erect. Stigma head convex or conical. Follicles thick, acuminate, smooth. Seeds comose.^[10] [more]

Tylophora

Tylophora is a genus of plant in family Asclepiadaceae. It contains the following species (but this list may be incomplete): [more]

At least 187 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Tylophora.

More info about the Genus Tylophora may be found here.

References

• Endress, M. E. and P. V. Bruyns (2000). A revised classification of the Apocynaceae s.l. Botanical Review 66: 1-56.
• Asclepiadaceae Family
• The Genera of Asclepiadoideae, Secamonoideae and Periplocoideae (Apocynaceae)

Footnotes

1. "Adelostemma". in Flora of China Vol. 16 Page 205. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.
2. "Cynanchum". in Flora of China Vol. 16 Page 205. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.
3. "Gomphocarpus". in Flora of China Vol. 16 Page 204. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.
4. "Graphistemma". in Flora of China Vol. 16 Page 227. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.
5. "Gymnema". in Flora of China Vol. 16 Page 238. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.
6. "Merrillanthus". in Flora of China Vol. 16 Page 252. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.
7. "Metaplexis". in Flora of China Vol. 16 Page 204. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.
8. "Oxystelma". in Flora of China Vol. 16 Page 202. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.
9. "Raphistemma". in Flora of China Vol. 16 Page 226. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.
10. "Telosma". in Flora of China Vol. 16 Page 241. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.

Sources

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