''Cynanchum'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of about 300

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

including some swallowworts, belonging to the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

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. Notable mem ...

. The taxon name comes from

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

''kynos'' (meaning "dog") and ''anchein'' ("to choke"), hence the common name for several species is dog-strangling vine. Most

are non-

succulent In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...

climbers or twiners. There is some evidence of

toxicity Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacteria, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect o ...

Morphology

These plants are perennial herbs or subshrubs, often growing from

rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome ( ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and Shoot (botany), shoots from its Node (botany), nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from ...

s. The leaves are usually oppositely arranged and sometimes are borne on petioles. The

inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

s 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 The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...

and

subtropics The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical and climate zones immediately to the north and south of the tropics. Geographically part of the temperate zones of both hemispheres, they cover the middle latitudes from to approximately ...

. Several species also grow in

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (approximately 23.5° to 66.5° N/S of the Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ran ...

regions.

Importance

Species of the ''Cynanchum'' genus had traditional Chinese medicinal uses. The root of ''

Cynanchum atratum ''Cynanchum'' is a genus of about 300 species including some swallowworts, belonging to the family Apocynaceae. The taxon name comes from Greek ''kynos'' (meaning "dog") and ''anchein'' ("to choke"), hence the common name for several species is ...

'' is used in Chinese traditional medicine and called ''Bai wei'' (白薇). Baishouwubenzophenone is used in ''

Cynanchum wilfordii ''Cynanchum'' is a genus of about 300 species including some swallowworts, belonging to the family Apocynaceae. The taxon name comes from Greek ''kynos'' (meaning "dog") and ''anchein'' ("to choke"), hence the common name for several species is ...

'', ''Cynanchum auriculatum'' (now '' Vincetoxicum auriculatum''), and ''

Cynanchum bungei ''Cynanchum'' is a genus of about 300 species including some swallowworts, belonging to the family Apocynaceae. The taxon name comes from Greek ''kynos'' (meaning "dog") and ''anchein'' ("to choke"), hence the common name for several species is ...

''.

Classification

''Cynanchum'' as defined in the late 20th century (to include about 400 species) is

polyphyletic A polyphyletic group is an assemblage that includes organisms with mixed evolutionary origin but does not include their most recent common ancestor. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as Homoplasy, homoplasies ...

and is being broken up. Species are being moved to genera including '' Orthosia'', ''

Pentarrhinum ''Cynanchum'' is a genus of about 300 species including some swallowworts, belonging to the family Apocynaceae. The taxon name comes from Greek ''kynos'' (meaning "dog") and ''anchein'' ("to choke"), hence the common name for several species is ...

'', 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 Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...

accepted the following species: * ''

Cynanchum absconditum ''Cynanchum'' is a genus of about 300 species including some swallowworts, belonging to the family Apocynaceae. The taxon name comes from Greek ''kynos'' (meaning "dog") and ''anchein'' ("to choke"), hence the common name for several species is ...

'' Liede * ''

Cynanchum abyssinicum ''Cynanchum'' is a genus of about 300 species including some swallowworts, belonging to the family Apocynaceae. The taxon name comes from Greek ''kynos'' (meaning "dog") and ''anchein'' ("to choke"), hence the common name for several species is ...

'' Decne. * '' Cynanchum acidum'' ( Roxb.) Oken * '' Cynanchum aculeatum'' (Desc.) Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum acuminatum''

Humb. Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (14 September 1769 – 6 May 1859) was a German polymath, geographer, naturalist, explorer, and proponent of Romantic philosophy and science. He was the younger brother of the Prussian ministe ...

& Bonpl. ex Schult. * '' Cynanchum acutum'' L. * '' Cynanchum adalinae'' ( K.Schum.) K.Schum. * '' Cynanchum africanum'' ( L.) Hoffmanns. * '' Cynanchum alatum''

Wight A wight is a being or thing. This general meaning is shared by cognate terms in Germanic languages, however the usage of the term varies greatly over time and between regions. In Old English, it could refer to anything in existence, with more s ...

Arn. George Arnott Walker Arnott of Arlary (6 February 1799 – 17 April 1868) was a Scottish botanist. He collaborated with botanists from around the world and served as a regius professor of botany at the University of Glasgow. An orchid genus ' ...

* '' Cynanchum alternilobum'' (M.G.Gilbert & P.T.Li) Liede & Khanum * '' Cynanchum altiscandens'' K.Schum. * '' Cynanchum ambovombense'' (Liede) Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum ampanihense'' Jum. & H.Perrier * '' Cynanchum analamazaotrense'' Choux * '' Cynanchum anderssonii'' Morillo * '' Cynanchum andringitrense'' Choux * '' Cynanchum angavokeliense'' Choux * '' Cynanchum annularium'' ( Roxb.) Liede & Khanum * '' Cynanchum ansamalense'' Liede * '' Cynanchum anthonyanum'' Hand.-Mazz. * '' Cynanchum antsiranense'' (Meve & Liede) Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum appendiculatopsis'' Liede * '' Cynanchum appendiculatum'' Choux * '' Cynanchum arabicum'' ( Bruyns & P.I.Forst.) Meve & Liede * '' Cynanchum arenarium'' Jum. & H.Perrier * '' Cynanchum areysianum'' ( Bruyns) Meve & Liede * '' Cynanchum balense'' Liede * '' Cynanchum baronii'' Choux * '' Cynanchum batangense'' P.T.Li * '' Cynanchum beatricis'' Morillo * '' Cynanchum bernardii'' Morillo * '' Cynanchum bicampanulatum'' M.G.Gilbert & P.T.Li * '' Cynanchum bisinuatum'' Jum. & H.Perrier * '' Cynanchum blandum'' ( Decne.) Sundell * '' Cynanchum blyttioides'' Liede * '' Cynanchum bojerianum'' ( Decne.) Choux * '' Cynanchum bosseri'' Liede * '' Cynanchum boudieri'' H.Lév. & Vaniot * '' Cynanchum boveanum'' Decne. * '' Cynanchum bowmanii'' S.T.Blake * '' Cynanchum brasiliense'' ( Morillo) Liede * '' Cynanchum brevicoronatum'' M.G.Gilbert & P.T.Li * '' Cynanchum brevipedicellatum'' ( P.I.Forst.) Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum brevipedunculatum'' J.Y.Shen * '' Cynanchum bricenoi'' Morillo * ''

'' Decne. * '' Cynanchum callialatum'' Buch.-Ham. ex

* '' Cynanchum carautanum'' (Fontella & E.A.Schwarz) Morillo * '' Cynanchum caudiculatum'' Rapini * '' Cynanchum caudigerum'' R.W.Holm * '' Cynanchum celebicum'' Schltr. * '' Cynanchum chanchanense'' Morillo * '' Cynanchum chinense'' R.Br. * '' Cynanchum chouxii'' Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum comorense'' Choux * '' Cynanchum compactum'' Choux * '' Cynanchum corymbosum''

* '' Cynanchum crassiantherae'' Liede * '' Cynanchum crassipedicellatum'' Meve & Liede * '' Cynanchum cristalinense'' Morillo * '' Cynanchum cuatrecasasii'' Morillo * '' Cynanchum cubense'' ( A.Rich.) Woodson * '' Cynanchum cucullatum'' N.E.Br. * '' Cynanchum cyathiforme'' (Sundell) W.D.Stevens * '' Cynanchum dalhousiae''

* '' Cynanchum daltonii'' ( Decne.) Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum danguyanum'' Choux * '' Cynanchum decaryi'' Choux * '' Cynanchum decipiens'' C.K.Schneid. * '' Cynanchum decorsei'' ( Costantin & Gallaud) Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum defilippii'' Delponte * '' Cynanchum descoingsii'' Rauh * '' Cynanchum diazmirandae'' Morillo * '' Cynanchum dimidiatum'' (Hassk.) Boerl. * '' Cynanchum doleriticum'' Goyder * '' Cynanchum dombeyanum'' ( Decne.) Morillo * '' Cynanchum duclouxii'' M.G.Gilbert & P.T.Li * '' Cynanchum elachistemmoides'' (Liede & Meve) Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum elegans'' (

Benth. George Bentham (22 September 1800 – 10 September 1884) was an English botanist, described by the weed botanist Duane Isely as "the premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century". Born into a distinguished family, he initially studie ...

) Domin * '' Cynanchum ellipticum'' ( Harv.) R.A.Dyer * '' Cynanchum erikseniae'' Morillo * '' Cynanchum erythranthum'' Jum. & H.Perrier * '' Cynanchum ethiopicum'' Liede & Khanum * '' Cynanchum eurychitoides'' ( K.Schum.) K.Schum. * '' Cynanchum eurychiton'' ( Decne.) K.Schum. * '' Cynanchum falcatum'' Hutch. & E.A.Bruce * '' Cynanchum fasciculiflorum'' Morillo * '' Cynanchum fernandezii'' Morillo * '' Cynanchum fimbricoronum'' P.T.Li * '' Cynanchum floribundum'' R.Br. * '' Cynanchum floriferum'' Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum foetidum'' ( Cav.)

Kunth Carl Sigismund Kunth (18 June 1788 – 22 March 1850) was a German botanist. He was also known as Karl Sigismund Kunth or anglicized as Charles Sigismund Kunth. He was one of the early systematic botanists who focused on studying the plants of th ...

* '' Cynanchum folotsioides'' Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum forskaolianum'' Meve & Liede * '' Cynanchum fragrans'' ( Wall.) Liede & Khanum * '' Cynanchum gentryi'' ( Morillo) Liede * '' Cynanchum gerrardii'' ( Harv.) Liede * '' Cynanchum gilbertii'' Liede * '' Cynanchum giraldii'' Schltr. * '' Cynanchum glomeratum'' Bosser * '' Cynanchum gobicum'' Grubov * '' Cynanchum goertsianum'' Morillo * '' Cynanchum gonoloboides'' Schltr. * '' Cynanchum gracillimum'' Wall. ex

* '' Cynanchum graminiforme'' Liede * '' Cynanchum grandidieri'' Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum graphistemmatoides'' Liede & Khanum * '' Cynanchum guatemalense''

Dugand Armando Dugand (July 23, 1906 – 1971) was a Colombian botanist, geobotanist, and ornithologist. Dugand's father, François Victor (or Francisco Víctor) Dugand, was a successful French banker; his mother was Reyes Geneco (or Gnecco) Coronado.B ...

* '' Cynanchum guehoi'' Bosser * '' Cynanchum hardyi'' Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum hastifolium'' K.Schum. * '' Cynanchum haughtii'' Woodson * '' Cynanchum hemsleyanum'' ( Oliv.) Liede & Khanum * '' Cynanchum heteromorphum'' Vatke * '' Cynanchum heydei'' Hook.f. * '' Cynanchum hickenii'' Malme * '' Cynanchum hoedimeerium''

Bakh.f. Reinier Cornelis Bakhuizen van den Brink Jr. (11 September 1911, Panjinangan, Sukabumi Regency, Java – 1 May 1987, Leiden) was a Dutch botanist. He was the son of Djahini of Tjiampea and Dutch botanist Reinier Cornelis Bakhuizen van den Br ...

* '' Cynanchum hooperianum'' ( Blume) Liede & Khanum * '' Cynanchum hubeiense'' Wen B.Xu, B.S.Xia & J.Y.Shen * '' Cynanchum humbert-capuronii'' Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum implicatum'' ( Jum. & H.Perrier) Jum. & H.Perrier * '' Cynanchum insigne'' ( N.E.Br.) Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum insipidum'' ( E.Mey.) Liede & Khanum * '' Cynanchum insulanum''( Hance) Hemsl. * '' Cynanchum itremense'' Liede * '' Cynanchum jaliscanum'' (

Vail Vail is a home rule municipality in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. The population of the town was 4,835 in 2020. Home to Vail Ski Resort, the largest ski mountain in Colorado, the town is known for its hotels, dining, and for the nume ...

) Woodson * '' Cynanchum jaramilloi'' Morillo * '' Cynanchum juliani-marnieri'' Desc. * '' Cynanchum jumellei'' Choux * '' Cynanchum junciforme'' (Decne.) Liede * '' Cynanchum kaschgaricum'' Y.X.Liou * '' Cynanchum kingdonwardii'' M.G.Gilbert & P.T.Li * '' Cynanchum kintungense'' Tsiang * '' Cynanchum kwangsiense'' Tsiang & H.D.Zhang * '' Cynanchum laeve'' - honeyvine * '' Cynanchum lanhsuense'' T.Yamaz. * '' Cynanchum lecomtei'' Choux * '' Cynanchum ledermannii'' Schltr. * '' Cynanchum leptolepis'' (

) Domin * '' Cynanchum leptostephanum''

Diels Diels is the last name of several people: * Rudolf Diels (1900–1957), German politician * Otto Diels (1876–1954), German scientist noted for his work on the Diels–Alder reaction * Ludwig Diels (1874–1945), German botanist whose standard aut ...

* '' Cynanchum leucophellum''

* '' Cynanchum ligulatum'' (Benth.) Woodson * '' Cynanchum lineare'' N.E.Br. * '' Cynanchum liukiuense'' Warb. * '' Cynanchum loheri'' Schltr. * '' Cynanchum longipedunculatum'' M.G.Gilbert & P.T.Li * '' Cynanchum longipes'' N.E.Br. * '' Cynanchum longirostrum'' ( K.Schum.) W.D.Stevens * '' Cynanchum lopezpalaciosii'' Morillo * '' Cynanchum luteifluens'' ( Jum. & H.Perrier) Desc. * '' Cynanchum lysimachioides'' Y.Tsiang & P.T.Li * '' Cynanchum maasii'' Morillo * '' Cynanchum macranthum'' Jum. & H.Perrier * '' Cynanchum macrolobum'' Jum. & H.Perrier * '' Cynanchum madagascariense'' K.Schum. * '' Cynanchum magale'' Buch.-Ham. ex Dillwyn * '' Cynanchum mahafalense'' Jum. & H.Perrier * '' Cynanchum malampayae'' (Kloppenb., Cajano & Hadsall) Sodusta * '' Cynanchum mariense'' (Meve & Liede) Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum mariquitense'' Mutis * '' Cynanchum marnieranum'' Rauh * '' Cynanchum masoalense'' Choux * '' Cynanchum maximoviczii'' Pobed. * '' Cynanchum megalanthum'' M.G.Gilbert & P.T.Li * '' Cynanchum membranaceum'' (Liede & Meve) Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum menarandrense'' Jum. & H.Perrier * '' Cynanchum messeri'' (Buchenau) Jum. & H.Perrier * '' Cynanchum mevei'' Liede * '' Cynanchum meyeri'' (Decne.) Schltr. * '' Cynanchum microstemma'' ( Turcz.) Morillo * '' Cynanchum minahassae'' Schltr. * '' Cynanchum montevidense'' Spreng. * '' Cynanchum moramangense'' Choux * '' Cynanchum moratii'' Liede * '' Cynanchum mossambicense'' K.Schum. * '' Cynanchum muricatum'' ( Blume) Boerl. * '' Cynanchum napiferum'' Choux * '' Cynanchum natalitium'' Schltr. * '' Cynanchum nematostemma'' Liede * '' Cynanchum nielsenii'' Morillo * '' Cynanchum obovatum'' (Decne.) Choux * '' Cynanchum obtusifolium'' L.f. * '' Cynanchum officinale'' ( Hemsl.) Tsiang & H.D.Zhang * '' Cynanchum orangeanum'' ( Schltr.) N.E.Br. * '' Cynanchum oresbium'' ( Bruyns) Goyder * '' Cynanchum otophyllum'' C.K.Schneid. * '' Cynanchum ovalifolium''

* '' Cynanchum pachycladon'' Choux * '' Cynanchum pamirense'' Tsiang & H.D.Zhang * '' Cynanchum papillatum'' Choux * '' Cynanchum paramorum'' Morillo * '' Cynanchum pearsonianum'' Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum pedunculatum'' R.Br. * '' Cynanchum peraffine'' Woodson * '' Cynanchum perrieri'' Choux * '' Cynanchum petignatii'' Liede & Rauh * '' Cynanchum phillipsonianum'' Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum physocarpum'' Schltr. * '' Cynanchum pichi-sermollianum'' (Raimondo & Fici) Liede & Khanum * '' Cynanchum pietrangelii'' Morillo * '' Cynanchum polyanthum'' K.Schum. * '' Cynanchum praecox'' Schltr. ex S.Moore * '' Cynanchum prevostii'' Morillo * '' Cynanchum puberulum''

F.Muell. Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, (; 30 June 1825 – 10 October 1896) was a German-Australian physician, geographer, and most notably, a botanist. He was appointed government botanist for the then colony of Victoria (state), Vic ...

* '' Cynanchum pulchellum'' ( Wall.) Liede & Khanum * '' Cynanchum purpureiflorum'' Morillo * '' Cynanchum purpureum'' ( Pall.) K.Schum. * '' Cynanchum pusilum'' Grubov * '' Cynanchum pycnoneuroides'' Choux * '' Cynanchum racemosum'' ( Jacq.) Jacq. * '' Cynanchum radians'' ( Forssk.) Lam. * '' Cynanchum radiatum'' Jum. & H.Perrier * '' Cynanchum rauhianum'' Desc. * '' Cynanchum registanense'' Jayanthi * '' Cynanchum rensonii'' ( Pittier) Woodson * '' Cynanchum repandum'' (Decne.) K.Schum. * '' Cynanchum resiliens'' (B.R.Adams & R.W.K.Holland) Goyder * '' Cynanchum revoilii'' ( Franch.) Khanum & Liede * '' Cynanchum riometense'' Sundell * '' Cynanchum rioparanense'' Sundell * '' Cynanchum rossii'' Rauh * ( Turcz.) Liede & Khanum * '' Cynanchum roulinioides'' ( E.Fourn.) Rapini * '' Cynanchum rubricoronae'' Liede * '' Cynanchum rungweense''

Bullock Bullock may refer to: Animals * Bullock (in British English), a castrated male cattle, bovine animal of any age * Bullock (in American English), a young bull (an uncastrated male bovine animal) * Bullock (in Australia, India and New Zealand), an o ...

* '' Cynanchum sahyadricum'' (Ansari & Hemadri) Liede & Khanum * ''

Cynanchum sarcomedium ''Cynanchum'' is a genus of about 300 species including some swallowworts, belonging to the family (biology), family Apocynaceae. The taxon name comes from Greek language, Greek ''kynos'' (meaning "dog") and ''anchein'' ("to choke"), hence the co ...

'' Meve & Liede * '' Cynanchum schistoglossum'' Schltr. * '' Cynanchum scopulosum'' Bosser * '' Cynanchum sessiliflorum'' (Decne.) Liede * '' Cynanchum sigridiae'' Meve & M.Teissier * '' Cynanchum sinoracemosum'' M.G.Gilbert & P.T.Li * '' Cynanchum socotranum'' ( Lavranos) Meve & Liede * '' Cynanchum somaliense'' ( N.E.Br.) N.E.Br. * '' Cynanchum staubii'' Bosser * '' Cynanchum stenospira'' K.Schum. * '' Cynanchum stoloniferum'' (B.R.Adams & R.W.K.Holland) Goyder * '' Cynanchum subpaniculatum'' Woodson * '' Cynanchum subtilis'' Liede * '' Cynanchum suluense'' Schltr. * '' Cynanchum sumbawanum'' Warb. * '' Cynanchum surrubriflorum'' W.D.Stevens * '' Cynanchum szechuanense'' Tsiang & H.D.Zhang * '' Cynanchum tamense'' Morillo * '' Cynanchum thruppii'' ( Oliv.) Khanum & Liede * '' Cynanchum toliari'' Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum trollii'' Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum tsaratananense'' Choux * '' Cynanchum tuberculatum'' ( Blume) Boerl. * '' Cynanchum tunicatum'' ( Retz.) Alston * '' Cynanchum umtalense'' Liede * '' Cynanchum unguiculatum'' ( Britton) Markgr. * '' Cynanchum vanlessenii'' ( Lavranos) Goyder * '' Cynanchum verrucosum'' (Desc.) Liede & Meve * '' Cynanchum viminale'' ( L.) L. * '' Cynanchum violator'' R.W.Holm * '' Cynanchum virens'' ( E.Mey.) D.Dietr. * '' Cynanchum wallichii''

* '' Cynanchum warburgii'' Schltr. * ''

'' ( Maxim.) Hook.f. * '' Cynanchum zeyheri'' Schltr. ;Former species * ''Cynanchum auriculatum'' = '' Vincetoxicum auriculatum'' * ''Cynanchum arizonicum'' = '' Metastelma arizonicum'' – Arizona swallow-wort or Arizona climbing milkweed * ''Cynanchum utahense'' = '' Funastrum utahense'' – Utah swallow-wort or Utah vine milkweed

References

External links

''Cynanchum'' at Flora of China
{{Authority control Apocynaceae genera Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus