| Meve, U; Liede-Schumann, S: Was ist Cynanchum L. (Apocynaceae-Asclepiadoideae)?, Avonia, 35(2), 78-85 (2017) | |
| Abstract: The genus Cynanchum, best known by leafy and stem-succulent twiners from Africa und Madagascar, has seen considerable taxonomic changes within the last two decades. On the one hand many New World taxa were excluded from Cynanchum, on the other hand the circumscription of Old World Cynanchum (essentially from Africa, India and China) was much extended, driven by the enlarged availability of molecular data. The work presented here reviews the latest taxonomical changes that culminated in a recently published work proposing the inclusion of predominantly Asian taxa ( Glossonema, Graphistemma, Holostemma, Metalepis, Metaplexis, Odontanthera, Pentarrhinum, Raphistemma and Seshagiria) in Cynanchum. Presumably, the latter action completed the necessary taxonomic rearrangements in Cynanchum. Today, Cynanchum comprises ca. 250 species, and 48 generic names are treated as synonyms of the genus. |
