The Asclepiadoideae are a

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

of plants in the family Apocynaceae. Formerly, they were treated as a separate family under the name Asclepiadaceae, e.g. by APG II, and known as the milkweed family. They form a group of perennial

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

s, twining

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

liana A liana is a long- stemmed, woody vine that is rooted in the soil at ground level and uses trees, as well as other means of vertical support, to climb up to the canopy in search of direct sunlight. The word ''liana'' does not refer to a ta ...

s or rarely trees but notably also contain a significant number of leafless stem succulents. The name comes from the type genus '' Asclepias'' (milkweeds). There are 348 genera, with about 2,900 species. They are mainly located in the tropics to subtropics, especially in Africa and South America. The florally advanced tribe

Stapelieae The genera of plants within the tribe Stapelieae are all to varying degrees stem succulents. Many of the species resemble cacti, though are not closely related, as an example of convergent evolution. The stems are often angular, mostly four-ang ...

within this family contains the relatively familiar stem succulent genera such as '' Huernia, Stapelia'' and '' Hoodia''. They are remarkable for the complex mechanisms they have developed for pollination, which independently parallel the unrelated Orchidaceae, especially in the grouping of their pollen into pollinia. The fragrance from the flowers, often called "carrion", attracts flies. The flies pollinate the flowers. Many new hybrids have been formed due to the unique fertilization method of the flowers.

Tribes and genera

The following five tribes are recognised:

Asclepiadeae

*'' Adelostemma'' *'' Aidomene'' *'' Araujia'' *'' Asclepias'' *'' Aspidoglossum'' *'' Aspidonepsis'' *'' Astephanus'' *''

Barjonia ''Barjonia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae, first described as a genus in 1844. They are native to South America.Wood, J. R. I., F. Mamani M., P. Pozo, J. D. Soto & D. Villarroel Segarra. (eds.) 2011. Guía Darwin de la ...

'' *'' Blepharodon'' *''

Calciphila ''Calciphila'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to 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 k ...

'' *'' Calotropis'' *'' Cordylogyne'' *'' Cynanchum'' *'' Diplolepis'' *''

Ditassa ''Ditassa'' is a genus of plant in the family Apocynaceae, first described as a genus in 1810. It is native to South America. ;Species ;formerly included transferred to other genera ''(Blepharodon, Cynanchum, Macroditassa, Metastelma, Minari ...

'' *''

Fanninia ''Fanninia'' is a species of plants in the family Apocynaceae first described as a genus in 1868. It contains only one known species, ''Fanninia caloglossa'', native to South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (R ...

'' *'' Fischeria'' *''

Funastrum ''Funastrum'' is a genus of flowering plant now in the family Apocynaceae. The name is derived from the Latin word ''funis'', meaning "rope", and ''astrum'', alluding to the twining stems. Members of the genus are commonly known as twinevines. S ...

'' *''Glossonema'' *''Glossostelma'' *''Gomphocarpus'' *''Gonolobus'' *''Graphistemma'' *''Gyrostelma'' *''Hemipogon (plant), Hemipogon'' *''Holostemma'' *''Hypolobus'' *''Ibatia'' *''Jobinia'' *''Kanahia'' *''Lachnostoma (plant), Lachnostoma'' *''Macroscepis'' *''Mahawoa'' *''Margaretta'' *''Matelea'' *''Merrillanthus'' *''Metaplexis'' *''Metastelma'' *''Microloma'' *''Minaria'' *''Miraglossum'' *''Monsanima'' *''Morrenia'' *''Nautonia'' *''Nephradenia'' *''Odontanthera'' *''Odontostelma'' *''Oncinema'' *''Orthosia (plant), Orthosia'' *''Oxypetalum'' *''Oxystelma'' *''Pachycarpus'' *''Parapodium (plant), Parapodium'' *''Pentacyphus'' *''Pentarrhinum'' *''Pentastelma'' *''Pentatropis'' *''Peplonia'' *''Pergularia'' *''Petalostelma'' *''Phaeostemma'' *''Pherotrichis'' *''Philibertia'' *''Pseudolachnostoma'' *''Raphistemma'' *''Rhyssostelma'' *''Rhytidostemma'' *''Rojasia'' *''Schizoglossum'' *''Schizostephanus'' *''Schubertia'' *''Scyphostelma'' *''Seshagiria'' *''Sichuania'' *''Solenostemma'' *''Stathmostelma'' *''Stelmagonum'' *''Stenomeria'' *''Stenostelma'' *''Tassadia'' *''Trachycalymma'' *''Tweedia'' *''Tylodontia'' *''Vincetoxicum'' *''Widgrenia'' *''Woodia'' *''Xysmalobium''

Ceropegieae

file:Ceropegia candelabrum 11.jpg, ''Ceropegia candelabrum'' file:Aasblume Aug 2005.jpg, ''Stapelia gigantea'' *''Anisotoma'' *''Anomalluma'' *''Apteranthes'' *''Australluma'' *''Baynesia'' *''Boucerosia'' *''Brachystelma'' *''Caralluma'' *''Caudanthera'' *''Ceropegia'' *''Conomitra (plant), Conomitra'' *''Desmidorchis'' *''Duvalia'' *''Duvaliandra'' *''Echidnopsis'' *''Edithcolea'' *''Emplectranthus'' *''Heterostemma'' *'' Hoodia'' *'' Huernia'' *''Larryleachia'' *''Lavrania'' *''Leptadenia'' *''Monolluma'' *''Neoschumannia'' *''Notechidnopsis'' *''Ophionella'' *''Orbea (plant), Orbea'' *''Orbeanthus'' *''Orthanthera'' *''Pectinaria (plant), Pectinaria'' *''Pentasachme'' *''Piaranthus'' *''Pseudolithos'' *''Quaqua'' *''Rhytidocaulon'' *''Richtersveldia (plant), Richtersveldia'' *''Riocreuxia'' *''Sisyranthus'' *''Socotrella'' *'' Stapelia'' *''Stapelianthus'' *''Stapeliopsis'' *''Tavaresia'' *''Tridentea'' *''Tromotriche'' *''Whitesloanea''

Eustegieae

*''Eustegia'' *''Emicocarpus''

Fockeeae

*''Cibirhiza'' *''Fockea''

Marsdenieae

*''Anatropanthus'' *''Anisopus (plant), Anisopus'' *''Asterostemma (plant), Asterostemma'' *''Campestigma'' *''Cathetostemma'' *''Cionura'' *''Cosmostigma'' *''Dischidia'' *''Dolichopetalum'' *''Gongronema'' *''Gunnessia'' *''Gymnema'' *''Heynella'' *''Hoya (plant), Hoya'' *''Jasminanthes'' *''Lygisma'' *''Marsdenia'' *''Oreosparte'' *''Pycnorhachis'' *''Rhyssolobium'' *''Ruehssia'' *''Sarcolobus'' *''Stephanotis'' *''Stigmatorhynchus'' *''Telosma'' *''Treutlera'' *''Wattakaka''

Genera now placed elsewhere

These genera are not accepted within Asclepiadoideae by Endress ''et al''. *''Absolmsia'' *''Belostemma'' *''Biondia'' *''Blyttia (plant), Blyttia'' *''Clemensiella'' *''Corollonema'' *''Cyathostelma'' *''Dactylostelma'' *''Dalzielia'' *''Decanema'' *''Diplostigma'' (syn. of ''Vincetoxicum'') *''Dischidanthus'' *''Dittoceras'' *''Dregea'' *''Frerea'' *''Gymnanthera'' *''Gymnemopsis'' *''Hemidesmus'' *''Huerniopsis'' *''Ischnostemma'' *''Kerbera'' *''Leichardtia'' *''Lhotzkyella'' *''Macroditassa'' *''Manothrix'' *''Melinia'' *''Microdactylon'' *''Microstelma (plant), Microstelma'' *''Mitostigma'' *''Oncostemma'' *''Orbeopsis'' *''Pachycymbium'' *''Papuastelma'' *''Periglossum'' *''Petopentia'' *''Pleurostelma'' *''Podostelma'' *''Polystemma'' *''Ptycanthera'' *''Quisumbingia'' *''Raphionacme'' *''Rhyncharrhena'' *''Sarcostemma'' *''Schistogyne'' *''Schistonema'' *''Seutera'' *''Sphaerocodon'' *''Telminostelma'' *''Tenaris (plant), Tenaris'' *''Tetraphysa'' *''Trichosacme'' *''Tylophora'' *''Tylophoropsis'' *''Vailia''

References

External links

Stapeliads.info
*[https://www.botanical-dermatology-database.info/BotDermFolder/ASCL-1.html Asclepiadaceae] i
BoDD – Botanical Dermatology Database
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q8206302, from2=Q156689 Asclepiadoideae, Gentianales subfamilies