Cynanchum

Cynanchum
In the foreground, Cynanchum aphyllum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Tribe: Asclepiadeae
Genus: Cynanchum
L.
Species

262, see text

Synonyms
List
    • Adelostemma Hook.f.
    • Ampelamus Raf.
    • Aphanostelma Schltr.
    • Bunburia Harv.
    • Cyathella Decne., non Brot., fungal name
    • Cynoctonum E.Mey., nom. illeg.
    • Decanemopsis Costantin & Gallaud
    • Dicarpophora Speg.
    • Drepanostemma Jum. & H.Perrier
    • Enslenia Nutt., nom. illeg.
    • Exostegia Bojer ex Decne.
    • Flanagania Schltr.
    • Folotsia Costantin & Bois
    • Gilgia Pax
    • Glossonema Decne.
    • Graphistemma (Chapm. ex Benth.) Champ. ex Benth.
    • Holostemma R.Br.
    • Karimbolea Desc.
    • Mahafalia Jum. & H.Perrier
    • Mastostigma Stocks
    • Mellichampia A.Gray ex S.Watson
    • Metalepis Griseb.
    • Metaplexis R.Br.
    • Monostemma Turcz.
    • Nematostemma Choux
    • Nematuris Turcz.
    • Odontanthera Wight
    • Pentarrhinum E.Mey.
    • Perianthostelma Baill.
    • Petalostemma R.Br., nom. nud.
    • Platykeleba N.E.Br.
    • Prosopostelma Baill.
    • Psanchum Neck., opus utique oppr.
    • Pycnoneurum Decne.
    • Raphistemma Wall.
    • Rhodostegiella (Pobed.) C.Y.Wu & D.Z.Li
    • Roulinia Decne., nom. illeg.
    • Rouliniella Vail
    • Sarcocyphula Harv.
    • Sarcostemma R.Br.
    • Sarmasikia Bubani
    • Schizocorona F.Muell.
    • Seshagiria Ansari & Hemadri
    • Sichuania M.G.Gilbert & P.T.Li
    • Steinheilia Decne.
    • Symphyoglossum Turcz.
    • Telminostelma E.Fourn.
    • Urostelma Bunge
    • Voharanga Costantin & Bois
    • Vohemaria Buchenau
    • Ziervoglia Neck.

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.

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

Species of the Cynanchum genus had traditional Chinese medicinal uses. The root of Cynanchum atratum is used in Chinese traditional medicine and called Bai wei (白薇). Baishouwubenzophenone is used in Cynanchum wilfordii, Cynanchum auriculatum (now Vincetoxicum auriculatum), and Cynanchum bungei.

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, 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.

Species

As of February 2023, Plants of the World Online accepted the following species:

Former species

References

  1. 1 2 "Cynanchum L." Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  2. ↑ "Plants for a Future Database".
  3. ↑ "白薇". 18 April 2025.
  4. ↑ Zhou, Zhixu; Wang, Zhiqiang; Li, Linwei; Zhang, Ke; Peng, Qing; Wang, Shuyun; Wang, Jinhui; Huang, Jian; Sun, Tiemin (2016). "The stereochemistry of baishouwubenzophenone, a unique atropisomer from C. wilfordii". Journal of Molecular Structure. 1125: 370–373. Bibcode:2016JMoSt1125..370Z. doi:10.1016/j.molstruc.2016.07.008.
  5. ↑ Sun, Yinshi; Liu, Zhengbo; Wang, Jianhua; Xiang, Lan; Zhu, Lixiang (2009). "Separation and Purification of Baishouwubenzophenone, 4-Hydroxyacetophenone and 2,4-Dihydroxyacetophenone from Cynanchum auriculatum Royle ex Wight by HSCCC". Chromatographia. 70 (1–2): 1–6. doi:10.1365/s10337-009-1107-y. ISSN 0009-5893.
  6. ↑ Sun, Yinshi; Lin, Hongmei; Wang, Jianhua; Hu, Jiangning; Liu, Zhengbo; Gao, Aidong (2011). "An Application of High-speed Counter-current Chromatography for Separation and Purification of Bungeiside-A, Bungeiside-B and Baishouwubenzophenone from Cynanchum bungei Decne". Phytochemical Analysis. 22 (6): 526–531. Bibcode:2011PChAn..22..526S. doi:10.1002/pca.1313. ISSN 0958-0344.
  7. ↑ Alan S. Weakley (April 2008). "Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and Surrounding Areas". Archived from the original on 2018-10-06. Retrieved 2009-06-08.
  8. ↑ Sigrid Liede and Angelika Tauber (Oct–Dec 2002). "Circumscription of the Genus Cynanchum (Apocynaceae-Asclepiadoideae)". Systematic Botany. 27 (4): 789–800. doi:10.1043/0363-6445-27.4.789 (inactive 11 July 2025). JSTOR 3093924.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link)
  9. ↑ Cai-Fei Zhang, Dong-Juan Zhang, Miao Liao, Guang-Wan Hu (19 January 2023). "A taxonomic revision of Cynanchum thesioides (Apocynaceae) with two new synonyms". PhytoKeys (219): 11–25. Bibcode:2023PhytK.219...11Z. doi:10.3897/phytokeys.219.93514. PMC 10210048. PMID 37252452. S2CID 256161021.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ↑ "Cynanchum L." Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  11. ↑ Bussmann R. W.; et al. (2006). "Plant use of the Maasai of Sekenani Valley, Maasai Mara, Kenya". J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2 22. doi:10.1186/1746-4269-2-22. PMC 1475560. PMID 16674830.