Cynanchum


Cynanchum is a genus of about 300 species including some swallowworts, belonging to the family Apocynaceae. The taxon name comes from Greek kynos and anchein, 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. Baishouwubenzophenone is used in Cynanchum wilfordii, Cynanchum auriculatum, and Cynanchum bungei.

Classification

Cynanchum as defined in the late 20th century 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

, Plants of the World Online accepted the following species:Cynanchum absconditum LiedeCynanchum abyssinicum Decne.Cynanchum acidum OkenCynanchum aculeatum Liede & MeveCynanchum acuminatum Humb. & Bonpl. ex Schult.Cynanchum acutum L.Cynanchum adalinae K.Schum.Cynanchum africanum Hoffmanns.Cynanchum alatum Wight & Arn.Cynanchum alternilobum Liede & KhanumCynanchum altiscandens K.Schum.Cynanchum ambovombense Liede & MeveCynanchum ampanihense Jum. & H.PerrierCynanchum analamazaotrense ChouxCynanchum anderssonii MorilloCynanchum andringitrense ChouxCynanchum angavokeliense ChouxCynanchum annularium Liede & KhanumCynanchum ansamalense LiedeCynanchum anthonyanum Hand.-Mazz.Cynanchum antsiranense Liede & MeveCynanchum appendiculatopsis LiedeCynanchum appendiculatum ChouxCynanchum arabicum Meve & LiedeCynanchum arenarium Jum. & H.PerrierCynanchum areysianum Meve & LiedeCynanchum balense LiedeCynanchum baronii ChouxCynanchum batangense P.T.LiCynanchum beatricis MorilloCynanchum bernardii MorilloCynanchum bicampanulatum M.G.Gilbert & P.T.LiCynanchum bisinuatum Jum. & H.PerrierCynanchum blandum SundellCynanchum blyttioides LiedeCynanchum bojerianum ChouxCynanchum bosseri LiedeCynanchum boudieri H.Lév. & VaniotCynanchum boveanum Decne.Cynanchum bowmanii S.T.BlakeCynanchum brasiliense LiedeCynanchum brevicoronatum M.G.Gilbert & P.T.LiCynanchum brevipedicellatum Liede & MeveCynanchum brevipedunculatum J.Y.ShenCynanchum bricenoi MorilloCynanchum bungei Decne.Cynanchum callialatum Buch.-Ham. ex WightCynanchum carautanum MorilloCynanchum caudiculatum RapiniCynanchum caudigerum R.W.HolmCynanchum celebicum Schltr.Cynanchum chanchanense MorilloCynanchum chinense R.Br.Cynanchum chouxii Liede & MeveCynanchum comorense ChouxCynanchum compactum ChouxCynanchum corymbosum WightCynanchum crassiantherae LiedeCynanchum crassipedicellatum Meve & LiedeCynanchum cristalinense MorilloCynanchum cuatrecasasii MorilloCynanchum cubense WoodsonCynanchum cucullatum N.E.Br.Cynanchum cyathiforme W.D.StevensCynanchum dalhousiae WightCynanchum daltonii Liede & MeveCynanchum danguyanum ChouxCynanchum decaryi ChouxCynanchum decipiens C.K.Schneid.Cynanchum decorsei Liede & MeveCynanchum defilippii DelponteCynanchum descoingsii RauhCynanchum diazmirandae MorilloCynanchum dimidiatum Boerl.Cynanchum doleriticum GoyderCynanchum dombeyanum MorilloCynanchum duclouxii M.G.Gilbert & P.T.LiCynanchum elachistemmoides Liede & MeveCynanchum elegans DominCynanchum ellipticum R.A.DyerCynanchum erikseniae MorilloCynanchum erythranthum Jum. & H.PerrierCynanchum ethiopicum Liede & KhanumCynanchum eurychitoides K.Schum.Cynanchum eurychiton K.Schum.Cynanchum falcatum Hutch. & E.A.BruceCynanchum fasciculiflorum MorilloCynanchum fernandezii MorilloCynanchum fimbricoronum P.T.LiCynanchum floribundum R.Br.Cynanchum floriferum Liede & MeveCynanchum foetidum KunthCynanchum folotsioides Liede & MeveCynanchum forskaolianum Meve & LiedeCynanchum fragrans Liede & KhanumCynanchum gentryi LiedeCynanchum gerrardii LiedeCynanchum gilbertii LiedeCynanchum giraldii Schltr.Cynanchum glomeratum BosserCynanchum gobicum GrubovCynanchum goertsianum MorilloCynanchum gonoloboides Schltr.Cynanchum gracillimum Wall. ex WightCynanchum graminiforme LiedeCynanchum grandidieri Liede & MeveCynanchum graphistemmatoides Liede & KhanumCynanchum guatemalense DugandCynanchum guehoi BosserCynanchum hardyi Liede & MeveCynanchum hastifolium K.Schum.Cynanchum haughtii WoodsonCynanchum hemsleyanum Liede & KhanumCynanchum heteromorphum VatkeCynanchum heydei Hook.f.Cynanchum hickenii MalmeCynanchum hoedimeerium Bakh.f.Cynanchum hooperianum Liede & KhanumCynanchum hubeiense Wen B.Xu, B.S.Xia & J.Y.ShenCynanchum humbert-capuronii Liede & MeveCynanchum implicatum Jum. & H.PerrierCynanchum insigne Liede & MeveCynanchum insipidum Liede & KhanumCynanchum insulanum Hemsl.Cynanchum itremense LiedeCynanchum jaliscanum WoodsonCynanchum jaramilloi MorilloCynanchum juliani-marnieri Desc.Cynanchum jumellei ChouxCynanchum junciforme LiedeCynanchum kaschgaricum Y.X.LiouCynanchum kingdonwardii M.G.Gilbert & P.T.LiCynanchum kintungense TsiangCynanchum kwangsiense Tsiang & H.D.ZhangCynanchum laeve - honeyvineCynanchum lanhsuense T.Yamaz.Cynanchum lecomtei ChouxCynanchum ledermannii Schltr.Cynanchum leptolepis DominCynanchum leptostephanum DielsCynanchum leucophellum DielsCynanchum ligulatum WoodsonCynanchum lineare N.E.Br.Cynanchum liukiuense Warb.Cynanchum loheri Schltr.Cynanchum longipedunculatum M.G.Gilbert & P.T.LiCynanchum longipes N.E.Br.Cynanchum longirostrum W.D.StevensCynanchum lopezpalaciosii MorilloCynanchum luteifluens Desc.Cynanchum lysimachioides Y.Tsiang & P.T.LiCynanchum maasii MorilloCynanchum macranthum Jum. & H.PerrierCynanchum macrolobum Jum. & H.PerrierCynanchum madagascariense K.Schum.Cynanchum magale Buch.-Ham. ex DillwynCynanchum mahafalense Jum. & H.PerrierCynanchum malampayae SodustaCynanchum mariense Liede & MeveCynanchum mariquitense MutisCynanchum marnieranum RauhCynanchum masoalense ChouxCynanchum maximoviczii Pobed.Cynanchum megalanthum M.G.Gilbert & P.T.LiCynanchum membranaceum Liede & MeveCynanchum menarandrense Jum. & H.PerrierCynanchum messeri Jum. & H.PerrierCynanchum mevei LiedeCynanchum meyeri Schltr.Cynanchum microstemma MorilloCynanchum minahassae Schltr.Cynanchum montevidense Spreng.Cynanchum moramangense ChouxCynanchum moratii LiedeCynanchum mossambicense K.Schum.Cynanchum muricatum Boerl.Cynanchum napiferum ChouxCynanchum natalitium Schltr.Cynanchum nematostemma LiedeCynanchum nielsenii MorilloCynanchum obovatum ChouxCynanchum obtusifolium L.f.Cynanchum officinale Tsiang & H.D.ZhangCynanchum orangeanum N.E.Br.Cynanchum oresbium GoyderCynanchum otophyllum C.K.Schneid.Cynanchum ovalifolium WightCynanchum pachycladon ChouxCynanchum pamirense Tsiang & H.D.ZhangCynanchum papillatum ChouxCynanchum paramorum MorilloCynanchum pearsonianum Liede & MeveCynanchum pedunculatum R.Br.Cynanchum peraffine WoodsonCynanchum perrieri ChouxCynanchum petignatii Liede & RauhCynanchum phillipsonianum Liede & MeveCynanchum physocarpum Schltr.Cynanchum pichi-sermollianum Liede & KhanumCynanchum pietrangelii MorilloCynanchum polyanthum K.Schum.Cynanchum praecox Schltr. ex S.MooreCynanchum prevostii MorilloCynanchum puberulum F.Muell. ex Benth.Cynanchum pulchellum Liede & KhanumCynanchum purpureiflorum MorilloCynanchum purpureum K.Schum.Cynanchum pusilum GrubovCynanchum pycnoneuroides ChouxCynanchum racemosum Jacq.Cynanchum radians Lam.Cynanchum radiatum Jum. & H.PerrierCynanchum rauhianum Desc.Cynanchum registanense JayanthiCynanchum rensonii WoodsonCynanchum repandum K.Schum.Cynanchum resiliens GoyderCynanchum revoilii Khanum & LiedeCynanchum riometense SundellCynanchum rioparanense SundellCynanchum rossii Rauh
;Former speciesCynanchum auriculatum = Vincetoxicum auriculatumCynanchum arizonicum = Metastelma arizonicum – Arizona swallow-wort or Arizona climbing milkweedCynanchum utahense = Funastrum utahense – Utah swallow-wort or Utah vine milkweed