Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 10, 2026

Apocynoideae

Apocynoideae is a subfamily of the flowering plant family Apocynaceae, also called the 'dogbane' or milkweed family, containing about 860 species across 78 genera. Several are of pharmacological interest; Strophanthus has furnished highly effective arrow poisons, due to their cardiac glycoside content. Apocynoideae also includes many popular landscaping and ornamental species, one of the best-known, and most infamous, being the oleander ; the subfamily also contains remarkable pachycaul genera like Adenium and Pachypodium.

Last revised
Jun 10, 2026
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≈ 4 min
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Wikipedia ↗
Apocynoideae
Apocynum venetum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Apocynoideae
Burnett1
Tribes2

Apocyneae
Echiteae
Baisseeae
Malouetieae
Mesechiteae
Wrightieae

Apocynoideae is a subfamily of the flowering plant family Apocynaceae (order Gentianales), also called the 'dogbane' or milkweed family, containing about 860 species across 78 genera. Several are of pharmacological interest; Strophanthus has furnished highly effective arrow poisons, due to their cardiac glycoside content.3 Apocynoideae also includes many popular landscaping and ornamental species, one of the best-known, and most infamous, being the oleander (Nerium oleander); the subfamily also contains remarkable pachycaul genera like Adenium and Pachypodium.

Strophanthus speciosus source ↗
Nerium oleander source ↗
Chonemorpha fragrans source ↗
Pentalinon luteum source ↗

Genera

Tribe Apocyneae (24 genera)
Tribe Baisseeae (4 genera)
Tribe Echiteae (23 genera)
  • Artia Guillaumin (5 species) - New Caledonia
  • Ecua D.J.Middleton (1 species) - Indonesia
Tribe Malouetieae (13 genera)
Tribe Mesechiteae (5 genera)
Tribe Nerieae (6 genera)
Tribe Odontadenieae (7 genera)
Tribe Rhabdadenieae (1 genus)
Tribe Wrightieae (3 genera)
References

References

  1. Reveal, J.L. (2012). "Newly required infrafamilial names mandated by changes in the Code of Nomenclature For Algae, Fungi, and Plants". Phytoneuron. 33: 1–32. ISSN 2153-733X.
  2. "Family: Apocynaceae Juss., nom. cons. subfam. Apocynoideae". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2007-04-12. Retrieved 2010-11-26.
  3. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Strophanthus" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 25 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 1041–1042.
  4. "GRIN Genera of Apocynaceae tribe Apocyneae". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2010-11-26.
  5. "GRIN Genera of Apocynaceae tribe Echiteae". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2010-11-26.
  6. "GRIN Genera of Apocynaceae tribe Malouetieae". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2010-11-26.
  7. "GRIN Genera of Apocynaceae tribe Mesechiteae". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2010-11-26.
  8. "GRIN Genera of Apocynaceae tribe Wrightieae". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2010-11-26.