''Haplophyton'' is a genus of plants 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 ...

, first described in 1844. It is native to the southwestern

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

, and Guatemala. It is a suffrutescent herb with alternative leaves and showy colorful flowers. The common name cockroach plant (or ''hierba de la cucaracha'') is in reference to its insecticidal properties. It has been used to kill cockroaches, fleas, flies, lice, and mosquitoes.McLaughlin, S.P. 1993. Apocynaceae A.L. Juss., Dogbane Family. Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science 27:164-168. Leaf extracts and sap contain many

insecticidal Insecticides are substances used to kill insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against insect eggs and larvae, respectively. Insecticides are used in agriculture, medicine, industry and by consumers. Insecticides are claimed t ...

compounds — such as the indole alkaloid

aspidophytine Aspidophytine is an indole alkaloid that has attracted a lot of attention from synthetic chemists.''"A Concise Asymmetric Total Synthesis of Aspidophytine" ''Nicolaou, K. C., Dalby, S. M., Majumder, U. ''J. Am. Chem. Soc.'' 2008, ''130( ...

Species

Some authors accept three species in the genus, others recognize two, considering ''H. cinereum'' synonymous with ''H. cimicidum''. The World Checklist recognizes: * '' Haplophyton cimicidum'' A.DC. (syn ''H. cinereum'' (A.Rich.) Woodson) - Michoacán, Puebla, Morelos, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Guatemala; naturalized in Cuba * '' Haplophyton crooksii'' (L.D.Benson) L.D.Benson - S Arizona, SW New Mexico, W Texas, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Cuba

References

External links

Texas Native Plants Database
Apocynaceae genera Flora of North America Rauvolfioideae {{Apocynaceae-stub