Apocynum is a
genusIn biology, a genus is a taxonomic unit used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The term comes from Latin genus "descent, family, type, gender" , cognate with – genos, "race, stock, kin" ..In addition, genus is a taxonomic rank in the hierarchy In biology, a genus (plural:...
with about seven
speciesIn biology, a species is:* a taxonomic rank or* a unit at that rank ....
, commonly known as
Dogbane and
Indian Hemp. The genus occurs throughout most of the temperate
Northern HemisphereThe Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of the equator—the word hemisphere literally means 'half sphere'. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
, except for being absent from western
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
.
Apocynum species are used as food plants by the
larvaA larva is a young form of animal with indirect development, going through or undergoing metamorphosis ....
e of some
LepidopteraLepidoptera is an order of insects that includes moths and butterflies. It is one of the most speciose orders in the class Insecta, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
species including
Mouse MothThe Mouse Moth is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is a very widespread species with a Holarctic distribution.This is a rather drab but distinctive species. The forewings are uniform dark brown with three blackish spots arranged in a triangle. The hindwings are buffish, darker towards the...
.
Selected species
- Apocynum androsaemifolium
Spreading dogbane is a flowering plant.Milky sap appears on broken stems.Leaf margin is entire and leaf veination is alternate. Its leaves appear as pointed ovals, while...
(Spreading Dogbane)
- Apocynum cannabinum
Apocynum cannabinum is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows throughout much of North America, in the southern half of Canada and throughout the United States. It grows up to 2 meters tall. It prefers moist places. It is a poisonous plant; the name means "poisonous to dogs"...
(Dogbane or Indian Hemp; North AmericaNorth America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific...
)
- Apocynum hendersonii (Northern Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.Asia is traditionally defined as part of the...
)
- Apocynum medium
Apocynum medium, Intermediate dogbane, is a member of family Apocynaceae.Intermediate dogbane is thought to be a hybrid, from other dogbane species because its characteristics are intermediate between A. cannabinum and A. androsaemifolium .- External links :* *...
(Intermediate dogbane)
- Apocynum pictum (Chinese Dogbane; Eastern Asia)
- Apocynum sibiricum (Siberian Dogbane; Northern Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.Asia is traditionally defined as part of the...
)
- Apocynum venetum (European Dogbane; Eastern Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
, Asia)
Apocynum cannabinumApocynum cannabinum is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows throughout much of North America, in the southern half of Canada and throughout the United States. It grows up to 2 meters tall. It prefers moist places. It is a poisonous plant; the name means "poisonous to dogs"...
was used as a source of fiber by
Native AmericansThe indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Americas, their descendants, and many ethnic groups who identify with those peoples...
.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Apocynum' Start a new discussion about 'Apocynum' Answer questions from other users |
Apocynum is a
genusIn biology, a genus is a taxonomic unit used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The term comes from Latin genus "descent, family, type, gender" , cognate with – genos, "race, stock, kin" ..In addition, genus is a taxonomic rank in the hierarchy In biology, a genus (plural:...
with about seven
speciesIn biology, a species is:* a taxonomic rank or* a unit at that rank ....
, commonly known as
Dogbane and
Indian Hemp. The genus occurs throughout most of the temperate
Northern HemisphereThe Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of the equator—the word hemisphere literally means 'half sphere'. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
, except for being absent from western
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
.
Apocynum species are used as food plants by the
larvaA larva is a young form of animal with indirect development, going through or undergoing metamorphosis ....
e of some
LepidopteraLepidoptera is an order of insects that includes moths and butterflies. It is one of the most speciose orders in the class Insecta, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
species including
Mouse MothThe Mouse Moth is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is a very widespread species with a Holarctic distribution.This is a rather drab but distinctive species. The forewings are uniform dark brown with three blackish spots arranged in a triangle. The hindwings are buffish, darker towards the...
.
Selected species
- Apocynum androsaemifolium
Spreading dogbane is a flowering plant.Milky sap appears on broken stems.Leaf margin is entire and leaf veination is alternate. Its leaves appear as pointed ovals, while...
(Spreading Dogbane)
- Apocynum cannabinum
Apocynum cannabinum is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows throughout much of North America, in the southern half of Canada and throughout the United States. It grows up to 2 meters tall. It prefers moist places. It is a poisonous plant; the name means "poisonous to dogs"...
(Dogbane or Indian Hemp; North AmericaNorth America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific...
)
- Apocynum hendersonii (Northern Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.Asia is traditionally defined as part of the...
)
- Apocynum medium
Apocynum medium, Intermediate dogbane, is a member of family Apocynaceae.Intermediate dogbane is thought to be a hybrid, from other dogbane species because its characteristics are intermediate between A. cannabinum and A. androsaemifolium .- External links :* *...
(Intermediate dogbane)
- Apocynum pictum (Chinese Dogbane; Eastern Asia)
- Apocynum sibiricum (Siberian Dogbane; Northern Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.Asia is traditionally defined as part of the...
)
- Apocynum venetum (European Dogbane; Eastern Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
, Asia)
Uses
Apocynum cannabinumApocynum cannabinum is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows throughout much of North America, in the southern half of Canada and throughout the United States. It grows up to 2 meters tall. It prefers moist places. It is a poisonous plant; the name means "poisonous to dogs"...
was used as a source of fiber by
Native AmericansThe indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Americas, their descendants, and many ethnic groups who identify with those peoples...
. And
Apocynum venetum is used as the herbal tea in
ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
. Dogbane contains
cymarinCymarin is a cardiac glycoside. Apocynum cannabinum used as a source of fiber by Native Americans and Apocynum venetum used as a herbal tea in China both contain cymarin. Cymarin is a cardiogenic toxin that causes cardiac arrhythmia in humans...
, a cardiogenic toxin that causes cardiac arrhythmia in humans.
CymarinCymarin is a cardiac glycoside. Apocynum cannabinum used as a source of fiber by Native Americans and Apocynum venetum used as a herbal tea in China both contain cymarin. Cymarin is a cardiogenic toxin that causes cardiac arrhythmia in humans...
is used in modern medicine in copiously formulated pharmaceutical preparations used to treat a variety of tumors.
External links