| TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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Jepson Interchange (more information) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora.--> |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
Perennial (sometimes annual, shrub, vine, tree); sap milky
Leaves simple, entire, opposite, alternate, or subwhorled; stipules 0 or small
Inflorescence: cyme; flowers 1–many, axillary or terminal
Flower bisexual, radial; perianth parts overlapping, at least in bud; sepals 5, fused at base, persistent; petals 5, fused in ± basal half; stamens 5, attached to corolla tube or throat, alternate lobes; ovaries 2, ± superior, generally free, styles and stigmas fused
Fruit: generally 2 follicles
Seeds many, often with tuft of silky hairs
Genera in family: ± 150–200 genera, 1000–2000 species: especially tropical; many ornamental (Nerium, oleander; Plumeria , frangipani); some alkaloids highly toxic, some used in medicine
Recent taxonomic note: Recently treated to include Asclepiadaceae
Reference: [Rosatti 1989 J Arnold Arbor 70:307–401]
Stem ascending to erect
Leaves opposite
Inflorescence: flowers several–many
Flower small; corolla cylindric to bell-shaped, 5-lobed, with 5 triangular appendages alternate stamens; stamens attached at base of tube, filaments short, wide, anthers forming adherent cone around stigma, each partly sterile, sharply sagittate; nectaries 5, free, around and < ovaries; style ± 0, stigma massive, ovoid, obscurely 2-lobed
Fruit slender, cylindric, pointed
Seed with tuft of long hairs
Species in genus: ± 7 species: North America
Etymology: (Greek: away from, dog, from ancient use as dog poison)
. The 2 CA species hybridize extensively; many hybrid forms have been named.