Apocynaceae
Dogbane family
The dogbane family (now including milkweeds), found worldwide in tropical and warm temperate regions. Produces alkaloids of immense pharmaceutical importance including vincristine (anti-cancer) and cardiac glycosides. Includes frangipani (Plumeria), oleander (Nerium), and periwinkle (Catharanthus).
Browse all 51 species ↓
Opposite leaves and milky sap, with tubular 5-parted flowers maturing into paired pod-like fruits packed with tufted, wind-borne seeds.
Almost every member is toxic to some degree, often containing potent cardiac glycosides — a milky-sapped plant in this family should never be assumed safe to handle carelessly.
Which Apocynaceae species is this?
Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Apocynaceae species.
How to recognise the Apocynaceae family
- 01
White or coloured milky latex
- 02
Twisted flower bud (contorted aestivation)
- 03
Paired follicle fruits, seeds often hairy
To check whether a plant belongs to Apocynaceae, compare the leaf arrangement, leaf type, flower symmetry, fruit type, and one distinctive marker together. A single feature can mislead; the family pattern is the combination.
Learn the full family-identification methodTypical leaf characters
Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.
Typical flower & fruit
- Flower symmetryActinomorphic (radially symmetrical)
- InflorescenceCyme
- FruitFollicle
Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.
Notable members
Families that can look similar
Asclepiadaceae
Compare against Asclepiadaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare AsclepiadaceaeRubiaceae
Compare against Rubiaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare RubiaceaeGentianaceae
Compare against Gentianaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare GentianaceaeMyrtaceae
Compare against Myrtaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare MyrtaceaeAll 51 species in APOCYNACEAE
- Desert RoseAdenium obesum
- Forest AganosmaAganosma cymosa var. cymosa
- Purple AllamandaAllamanda blanchetii
- Golden Trumpet Vine, Common AllamandaAllamanda cathartica
- Bush AllamandaAllamanda neriifolia
- Bush AllamandaAllamanda schottii
- DeviltreeAlstonia macrophylla
- Scholar Tree, Devil Tree, Shaitaanwood Tree, Blackboard Tree, Milkwood Pine, White Cheesewood, Dita Bark, Seven Leaved TreeAlstonia scholaris
- Venenous AlstoniaAlstonia venenata
- LantaniAnodendron paniculatum
- Large Bell FlowerBeaumontia grandiflora
- Nepal Trumpet FlowersBeaumontia jerdoniana
- Christ's Thorn, Bengal Currants, Jasmine Flowered CarissaCarissa carandas
- Bush PlumCarissa inermis
- Bush PlumCarissa paucinervia
- Bush PlumCarissa spinarum
- Yellow Oleander, Bestill TreeCascabela thevetia
- Indian PeriwinkleCatharanthus pusillus
- Periwinkle, Rose PeriwinkleCatharanthus roseus
- Grey Milkwood, Sea Mango, Katasaali (H), Chandemara (K)Cerbera manghas
- Odollum Tree, Dog-Bane, Chiute, Grey Milkwood, Sea MangoCerbera odollam
- Frangipani VineChonemorpha fragrans
- Kurchi, Tellicherry Bark, Bitter Oleander, Easter Tree, Jasmine Tree, Coessi Bark, Ivory TreeHolarrhena pubescens
- Slender Dog-Bane, Black CreeperIchnocarpus frutescens
- Shrub Vinca, Pink Kopsia, Pink GardeniaKopsia fruticosa
- MandevillaMandevilla sanderi
- Oleander Tree, Indian Oleander, Sweet Scented Oleander, Rose BayNerium oleander
- Madagascar PalmPachypodium lamerei
- Spiral-Vined SilkpodParsonsia alboflavescens
- Hammock Viper's-TailPentalinon luteum
- Temple Tree, White Champa, Dwarf Plumeria, Cyban FrangipiniPlumeria obtusa
- Fiddle Leaf PlumeriaPlumeria pudica
- Red Frangipini, Temple Of Pagoda Tree, FrangipaniPlumeria rubra
- Common Devil PepperRauvolfia densiflora
- Indian Snakeroot, Rauvolfia Root, Serpentine Wood, SerpentineRauvolfia serpentina
- Garden RauvolfiaRauvolfia tetraphylla
- Kombe TailflowerStrophanthus kombe
- East Indian Rosebay, Pinwheel FlowerTabernaemontana divaricata
- Nilgiri Crape JasmineTabernaemontana gamblei
- Giant Pinwheel-FlowerTabernaemontana pachysiphon
- RamsarVallaris solanacea
- Lesser PeriwinkleVinca minor
- Arctic SnowWrightia antidysenterica
- Woolly Dyeing RosebayWrightia arborea
- Milky Way Tree, Pala Indigo Plant, Sweet IndrajaoWrightia tinctoria
- Milky Way Tree, Pala Indigo Plant, Sweet IndrajaoWrightia tinctoria subsp. rothii
- Aganosma caryophyllata
- Carissa salicina
- Chilocarpus atroviridis
- Ellertonia rheedii
- Ervatamia heyneana
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