OregonFlora: Mandevilla brachysiphon vs. Apocynaceae

	Mandevilla brachysiphon	Apocynaceae
		dogbane family, milkweed family
Habit		Herbs, subshrubs, shrubs, vines, or trees perennial, deciduous or evergreen; cryptophytes or chamaephytes; all parts of shoots exuding white latex when damaged.
Roots		tuberous, taprooted, or fibrous.
Stems		erect, spreading, or trailing.
Leaves		cauline; simple; opposite, herbaceous or leathery; margins entire, multicellular glands (colleters) on upper base of blade sometimes present; stipules 0, interpetiolar colleters sometimes present.
Inflorescences		extra-axillary or axillary; but may appear terminal; umbels; cymes, or solitary.
Flowers		bisexual; radial; sepals 5, united; petals 5, united; lobes contorted or valvate in bud; corollas rotate with reflexed lobes, urceolate, or tubular-funnelform; may have scale-like nectaries at base; stamens 5, epipetalous; may be connate and adnate to styles; anthers with apical scale-like appendages; ovaries free; superior to partially inferior; carpels 2; ovules few–many.
Fruits		follicles; single or paired.
Seeds		few to many; may be comose. Nearly worldwide. 376 genera, 3 genera treated in Flora.

	Mandevilla brachysiphon	Apocynaceae
Distribution	[WildflowerSearch map]	[BONAP county map]
Discussion		Nearly worldwide. 376 genera; 3 genera treated in Flora. The milkweed subfamilies of Apocynaceae (Asclepiadoideae, Secamonoideae, Periplocoideae) were long recognized as the milkweed family Asclepiadaceae. Inclusion of these taxa in Apocynaceae is widely accepted. Asclepias is the only milkweed genus present in the flora of Oregon. The Apocynaceae possess diverse secondary compounds some of which are potent toxins or pharmacologically active. The indole alkaloids vincristine and vinblastine present in Catharanthus roseus are currently the only effective drug treatment for Hodgkin’s disease. Toxic cardiac glycosides in Asclepias are sequestered by several species of milkweed-feeding insects for use in their own defense, most famously by the monarch butterfly.
Source		Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 141
Web links	Local Web sites: Flora NW, PNW Herbaria WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search	Local floras: CA, OR Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos, Flora NW, PNW Herbaria WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Mandevilla brachysiphon

Apocynaceae

dogbane family, milkweed family

Habit

Herbs, subshrubs, shrubs, vines, or trees perennial, deciduous or evergreen; cryptophytes or chamaephytes; all parts of shoots exuding white latex when damaged.

Roots

tuberous, taprooted, or fibrous.

Stems

erect, spreading, or trailing.

Leaves

cauline; simple; opposite, herbaceous or leathery;

margins entire, multicellular glands (colleters) on upper base of blade sometimes present;

stipules 0, interpetiolar colleters sometimes present.

Inflorescences

extra-axillary or axillary; but may appear terminal; umbels; cymes, or solitary.

Flowers

bisexual; radial;

sepals 5, united;

petals 5, united;

lobes contorted or valvate in bud;

corollas rotate with reflexed lobes, urceolate, or tubular-funnelform; may have scale-like nectaries at base;

stamens 5, epipetalous; may be connate and adnate to styles;

anthers with apical scale-like appendages;

ovaries free; superior to partially inferior;

carpels 2;

ovules few–many.

Fruits

follicles; single or paired.

Seeds

few to many; may be comose. Nearly worldwide. 376 genera, 3 genera treated in Flora.

Mandevilla brachysiphon

Apocynaceae

Distribution

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Nearly worldwide. 376 genera; 3 genera treated in Flora.

The milkweed subfamilies of Apocynaceae (Asclepiadoideae, Secamonoideae, Periplocoideae) were long recognized as the milkweed family Asclepiadaceae. Inclusion of these taxa in Apocynaceae is widely accepted. Asclepias is the only milkweed genus present in the flora of Oregon. The Apocynaceae possess diverse secondary compounds some of which are potent toxins or pharmacologically active. The indole alkaloids vincristine and vinblastine present in Catharanthus roseus are currently the only effective drug treatment for Hodgkin’s disease. Toxic cardiac glycosides in Asclepias are sequestered by several species of milkweed-feeding insects for use in their own defense, most famously by the monarch butterfly.

Source

Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 141

Web links