''Adenium'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s in the family

Apocynaceae Apocynaceae (from ''Apocynum'', Greek for "dog-away") is a family of flowering plants that includes trees, shrubs, herbs, stem succulents, and vines, commonly known as the dogbane family, because some taxa were used as dog poison Members of the ...

first described as a genus in 1819. It is native to

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

and the

Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plate ...

.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
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Cultivation and uses

Adenium obesum ''Adenium obesum'' is a poisonous species of flowering plant belonging to the tribe Nerieae of the subfamily Apocynoideae of the dogbane family, Apocynaceae. It is native to the Sahel regions south of the Sahara (from Mauritania and Senegal to ...

'' is grown as a

houseplant A houseplant, sometimes known as a pot plant, potted plant, or an indoor plant, is an ornamental plant that is grown indoors. As such, they are found in places like residences and offices, mainly for decorative purposes. Common houseplants are us ...

in temperate and tropical regions. Numerous hybrids have been developed. Adeniums are appreciated for their colorful flowers, but also for their unusual, thick

caudices A caudex (plural: caudices) of a plant is a stem, but the term is also used to mean a rootstock and particularly a basal stem structure from which new growth arises.pages 456 and 695 In the strict sense of the term, meaning a stem, "caudex" is ...

. They can be grown for many years in a pot and are commonly used for

bonsai Bonsai ( ja, 盆栽, , tray planting, ) is the Japanese art of growing and training miniature trees in pots, developed from the traditional Chinese art form of ''penjing''. Unlike ''penjing'', which utilizes traditional techniques to produce ...

Because seed-grown plants are not genetically identical to the mother plant, desirable varieties are commonly propagated by

grafting Grafting or graftage is a horticultural technique whereby tissues of plants are joined so as to continue their growth together. The upper part of the combined plant is called the scion () while the lower part is called the rootstock. The succ ...

. Genetically identical plants can also be propagated by

cutting Cutting is the separation or opening of a physical object, into two or more portions, through the application of an acutely directed force. Implements commonly used for wikt:cut, cutting are the knife and saw, or in medicine and science the scal ...

. However, cutting-grown plants do not tend to develop a desirable thick caudex as quickly as seed-grown plants. The sap of ''

Adenium boehmianum ''Adenium boehmianum'', the Bushman poison, is a poisonous succulent endemic to the mostly dry regions of northern Namibia and southern Angola. The San people boil the root sap and latex to prepare arrow poison Arrow poisons are used to poison ...

'', '' A. multiflorum'', and '' A. obesum'' contains toxic

cardiac glycoside Cardiac glycosides are a class of organic compounds that increase the output force of the heart and decrease its rate of contractions by inhibiting the cellular sodium-potassium ATPase pump. Their beneficial medical uses are as treatments for co ...

s and is used as

arrow poison Arrow poisons are used to poison arrow heads or darts for the purposes of hunting and warfare. They have been used by indigenous peoples worldwide and are still in use in areas of South America, Africa and Asia. Notable examples are the poisons se ...

throughout Africa for hunting large game.

Classification

The genus ''Adenium'' has been held to contain as many as twelve species. These are considered by other authors to be subspecies or

varieties Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

. A late-20th-century classification by Plazier recognizes five species. ;Species # ''

Adenium arabicum ''Adenium arabicum'' is a species of succulent plant commonly used for bonsai and cultivated for its shiny leaves, growth form and flowering characteristics. Common names include desert rose, elephant's foot, and Adan bush. They are monoecious ...

'' Balf.f. = ''

'' # ''

'' Schinz - (

Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...

Angola , national_anthem = " Angola Avante"() , image_map = , map_caption = , capital = Luanda , religion = , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , coordina ...

) # ''

Adenium multiflorum ''Adenium multiflorum'' is small, succulent tree native to central and eastern Southern Africa. It may be deciduous or evergreen, and is found in dry woods or grassland in its native habitat. It is typically 0.5-3 m tall. Like other succulent ...

'' Klotzsch. (Southern Africa, from

Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most cent ...

south) # ''

'' ( Forssk.)

Roem. Johann Jacob Roemer (8 January 1763, Zurich – 15 January 1819) was a physician and professor of botany in Zurich, Switzerland. He was also an entomologist. With Austrian botanist Joseph August Schultes, he published the 16th edition of Carl ...

Schult. Josef (Joseph) August Schultes (15 April 1773 in Vienna – 21 April 1831 in Landshut) was an Austrian botanist and professor from Vienna. Together with Johann Jacob Roemer (1763–1819), he published the 16th edition of Linnaeus' ''Systema ...

- widespread from Senegal to Somalia, and also Arabian Peninsula # '' Adenium oleifolium'' Stapf - South Africa, Botswana, Namibia # '' Adenium swazicum'' Stapf (Eastern South Africa) Desert_Rose_Adenium

;Formerly placed here *''

Pachypodium namaquanum ''Pachypodium namaquanum'', also known as halfmens or elephants trunk, is a succulent plant of Southern Africa. The genus name ''Pachypodium'' is from the Greek for 'thick foot', an allusion to its swollen base, while the species name ''namaq ...

'' (Wyley ex Harv.) Welw. (as ''A. namaquanum'' Wyley ex Harv.)

Common names

'' is also known as the desert rose. In the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

, due to its resemblance to the related genus ''

Plumeria ''Plumeria'' (), known as frangipani, is a genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Rauvolfioideae, of the family Apocynaceae. Most species are deciduous shrubs or small trees. The species variously are endemic to Mexico, Central America, and ...

'', and the fact that it was introduced to the Philippines from Bangkok,

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

, the plant is also called as ''Bangkok kalachuchi''. Due to its resemblance to a miniature

frangipani ''Plumeria'' (), known as frangipani, is a genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Rauvolfioideae, of the family Apocynaceae. Most species are deciduous shrubs or small trees. The species variously are endemic to Mexico, Central America, and ...

tree and its popularity in bonsai, it is also sometimes known as Japanese frangipani.

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q913594 Apocynaceae genera Plants used in bonsai Caudiciform plants