Family apocynaceae

Plant Description

1. Family-Apocynaceae
(Dog Bane Family)
Dr. Shriram Kunjam
Assistant Professor
Department of Botany
Govt. V.Y.T. PG Autonomous College, Durg (Chhattisgarh)
B.Sc. Part-II, Paper-I Unit-02

2. Systematic Position
•Division-Angiosperm
•Class-Dicotyledons
•Subclass-Gamopetaly
•Series –Bicarpellatae
•Order (Cohort)-Gentianales
•Family-Apocynaceae

3. Distribution
•Tropicalandsubtropicalareasoftheworld.
•About415Genera&4600species
•Mostofplantsaremesophytesandsomearexerophytes
•Allmembersofthisfamilyarepoisonous,
•Manyspeciesareusedmedicinallybecauseofthe
presenceofcardiacglycosidesandvariousalkaloids.

4. Major genera and species
•Catharanthus roseus (Vincarosea)
•Nerium indicum (Oleander)
•Thevetia nerifolia(Pilikaner)
•Alstonia scholaris (Chhatim)
•Plumeria champaca(Champa)
•Tabernemontana(Mongra)
•Rouwolfiaserpentina (Sapagandha)

5. VEGETATIVE CHARACTERS
Habit:
•Perennial Herbs – Catharanthus roseus
•Twining shrub - Vallaris solanacea
•Shrubs or Small Tree- Nerium indicum,
Thevetia nerifolia
•Climbing shrubs - Landolphiaand
Clitandra
•Small sized Tree - Alstonia scholaris &
Plumeria acutifolia
•Tuber like stem e.g. Adenium

6. VEGETATIVE CHARACTERS
•Stem:
•Herbaceous
(Catharanthus)
•Green
•Erect, cylindrical
•Branched
•Woody
•Solid
•Succulent with milky latex.
Branched
Stem
Milky latex

7. VEGETATIVE CHARACTERS
Leaves
•Simple
•Opposite (Catharanthus)
•Whorled (Nerium, Alstonia,
Thevetia)
•Petiolate or sub-sessile
•Exstipulate
•Margin entire
•Unicostate reticulate
venation
Opposite Phyllotaxy
Whorled
Phyllotaxy

8. FLORAL CHARACTERS
Inflorescence
•Usually Cymose type
•Solitary - Catharanthus
•Terminal cymes-Plumeria
•Corymbose Cymes -Carissa
•Umbellate cyme (Rauwolfia)
•Umbellate branched penicled
cymes (Alstonia)
Plumeria
Carissa
Rauwolfia
Catharanthus

9. FLORAL CHARACTERS
Flower
•Bracteate or ebracteate
•Bracteolate
•Pedicellate
•Complete
•Hermaphrodite
•Actinomorphic
•Tetra or pentamerous
often with corona
•Hypogynous
Radial symmetry
Hypogynous
condition

10. FLORAL CHARACTERS
Calyx:
•Sepals 5,
•Gamo/polysepalous
•Deeply lobed
•Imbricate / valvate
aestivation
•Small often glandular
at the base
Sepals

11. FLORAL CHARACTERS
Corolla:
•Petals5,
•Gamopetalous
•Unitedintoatube,Tubular
orfunnelshaped;
•Twistedorrarelyvalvate,
•containsomecoronalikeout
growthsatthemouthofthe
corollatube.
Corona or hairy
outgrowth
Petals

12. Types of Corolla
Funnel or Bell shaped Corolla
Ex. Allamanda, Thevetia
Tubular Corolla
Ex. Vinca rosea

13. FLORAL CHARACTERS
Androecium: (Male Reproductive organs)
•Stamens 5
•Polyandrous
•Epipetalous, alternating with
petals
•Filament -short, free
•Anthers -dithecous, connate to
stigma, Introse, basifixed
•Dehiscing longitudinally

14. FLORAL CHARACTERS
Gynoecium (Female reproductive organs)
•Bicarpellary, Syncarpous
•Ovaries are free below but united
by style only
•Superior ovary
•Style short, enclosed in a tube
formed by the corolla;
•Stigma (Dumble or Drum shaped)
•Ovary is unilocular,
•Marginal placentations

15. Floral Formula
•Vinca rosea:
•Tabernaemontana divaricata:
•Nerium indicum:
•Thevetia nerifolia

16. Floral Diagram
Source: Textbook of Practical
Botany by Bendre & Kumar

17. FRUIT
•A drupe (Thevetia)
•Berry (Carissa)
•Follicle (Nerium and Amsonia)
•Pollination
•Entomophilies

18. ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
Vegetables
•The pulpy fruits of Carissa carandusare edible and also
pickled.
Medicinal
•Rauwolfiaserpentina-Alkaloids–Serpentineinroot
•Rootareusedinloweringbloodpressure,sedative,
stimulatorforuterinecontractionandinmental
diseases.
•Thejuiceofleavesisusedforremovalofopacitiesof
thecorneaoftheeyes.
•Anti-cancerousdrugsareextractedfromCatharanthus
roseus(CatharanthineandVindolinealkaloids)

19. Rubber
•Many species of Hancora, Dyera, Urceola are the
sources of rubber.
Poisonous
•The seeds of Thevetia contain Thevetine a
poisonous glycoside.
•The latex of Acokanthera is used for poisoning
arrows.
•The bark and wood of Nerium indicum provide
rat-poison.
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE