APOCYNACEAE (including

Asclepiaceae)

general Asterid Characters

fused corollastamens adnate to corollastamens equal to or fewer than perianth lobesgynoecium 2-carpellate

Current Angiosperm

Phylogeny Group Tree for Flowering

Plants2008

magnoliids

monocots

asterids I

asterids asterids

core eudicots

eudicots

GENTIANALES

•opposite leaves•radial symmetry•contorted petals

Allamanda and Dipladenia

APOCYNACEAE•milky latex•short filaments•superior ovary

laticifer inAlstonia

Asclepias

Catharanthus – leukemia medicine

vinblastine

vincristine

Hoodia

Huernia

South Africa

Nereum oleander

PachypodiumAfrican succulent

Plumeria and Pseudosphinx tetrio

On Plumeria, herbivore damage by caterpillars of the sphinx moth Pseudosphinx tetrio is restricted primarily to the wettest season, consistent with the hypothesis that early leaf flush and reproduction has been selected to avoid herbivory. I

Rauwolfia

reserpine

Stapelia - African carrion-insect dispersed flower

Stemmadenia – American treelet of moist forests

Thevetia