Cynanchum viminale is a leafless succulent plant in the family Apocynaceae. The species is native to West Africa, the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific region. The species' natural range extends from South Africa throughout much of Africa and the Middle East to India, Indochina, Southern China, Indomalaya and into Meganesia.[2][3][4] The species is also found on several Indian Oceans islands including Mauritius, Réunion and the Seychelles.
In keeping with its wide distribution, the species is known by a range of common names, including caustic-creeper, caustic bush, sacred soma, soma, rou shan hu,[2]Rapunzel plant, liane calle and kitupa.[3]
Cynanchum viminale is a leafless succulent plant with cylindrical, green photosynthetic stems.[5][6] The plant may grow as a shrub or a scandent vine. The stems produce copious amounts of milky exudate when broken. This exudate is caustic in nature and can cause burns if it contacts human skin. The plant produces small white flowers in clusters. Flowers are followed by long pods which produce numerous seeds with silky plumes that aid in wind dispersal.[5] The environmental range of the species is very broad, extending from rainforest margins and monsoon forests[5] to arid deserts.[3][7]
Toxicity appears to be variable, even locally. The plant is known to cause poisoning and death in livestock.[3][8][9]
Taxonomyedit
The taxonomic status of this species is controversial.
The genus Sarcostemma has been shown to be nested within the genus Cynanchum,[10] and Sarcostemma was put into synonymy with Cynanchum in 2002. Thus, Sarcostemma viminale is correctly known as Cynanchum viminale. However this change has not been accepted by all taxonomists and the name Sarcostemma remains in use by a minority,[3][11] despite later genetic evidence.[10]
The species has numerous subspecies, though precisely how many remains in dispute, and this is further complicated by the difficulty in definitively distinguishing C. viminale from closely related species.[10][12][13]
Usesedit
As a foodedit
In Kenya, it is considered quality forage; in Somalia and South Africa the stems are eaten by humans, either raw or cooked.[3]
Medicinaledit
The plant has been used as a traditional medicine to treat a range of conditions, including sores and wounds, smallpox, eye infections, diarrhoea, intestinal and skin parasites and insufficient milk production.[3][6][14] The aerial parts, roots and latex of the plant are all used for medicine, and the method of use various from ingestion of plant parts, drinking a decoction of the plant, application of the sap to affected parts, exposure to smoke from the burning plant or placing patients onto bedding made from the plant.[3][15] Care is usually required because of the poisonous and caustic nature of the sap, however in some locales toxicity is considered low, at least for part of the year.[3]
Referencesedit
^"Cynanchum viminale (L.) L. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
^ abcdefghiSchmelzer, G. H.; Gurib-Fakim, A.; Arroo, R. R. J.; Bosch, C. H.; de Ruijter, A.; Simmonds, M. S. J. 2008 “Plant Resources of Tropical Africa, Volume 11: Medicinal Plants 1” Backhuys Publishers, Wageningen, Netherlands.
^Robert Pokras; Lucila Calimag & James Factor (1991). "New geographic data on the leafless species of the genus Sarcostemma (Asclepiadaceae)". Israel Journal of Botany. 40 (4): 331–338. doi:10.1080/0021213X.1991.10677211 (inactive 31 January 2024).{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of January 2024 (link)
^Kellerman, T. S.; Coetzer, J. A. W.; Naudé, T. W. and Botha, C. J. 2005 Plant poisonings and mycotoxicoses of livestock in Southern Africa – 2nd edition. Oxford University Press, Cape Town. ISBN0 19 576134 0
^D. J. Goyder (2008). "Nomenclatural changes resulting from the transfer of tropical African Sarcostemma to Cynanchum (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadoideae)". Kew Bulletin. 63 (3): 471–472. doi:10.1007/s12225-008-9051-9. S2CID 23092665.
^Sigrid Liede-Schumann; Stefan Dötterl; Margit Gebauer; Ulrich Meve (8 July 2012). "A RAPD study of the Sarcostemma group of Cynanchum (Apocynaceae-Asclepiadoideae-Asclepiadeae)". Organisms Diversity and Evolution. 13 (1): 15–31. doi:10.1007/S13127-012-0099-X. ISSN 1439-6092. Wikidata Q56807237.
^Sigrid Liede; Ulrich Meve (May 1993). "Towards an understanding of the Sarcostemma viminale (Asclepiadaceae) complex". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 112 (1): 1–15. doi:10.1111/J.1095-8339.1993.TB00303.X. ISSN 0024-4074. Wikidata Q43304083.
^Webb, L. J. 1969 “The Use of Plant Medicines and Poisons by Australian Aborigines” Mankind 7:2
^Latz, P.J. 1995 "Bushfires and Bushtucker: Aboriginal plant use in central Australia" 1995, Oxford Press
External linksedit
Cyanchum viminale occurrence data and images from GBIF
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cynanchum viminale.
Entry for Sarcostemma viminale at JSTOR Plant Science
Sarcostemma viminale in West African plants – A Photo Guide.
January 01, 1970
cynanchum, viminale, leafless, succulent, plant, family, apocynaceae, species, native, west, africa, indian, ocean, western, pacific, region, species, natural, range, extends, from, south, africa, throughout, much, africa, middle, east, india, indochina, south. Cynanchum viminale is a leafless succulent plant in the family Apocynaceae The species is native to West Africa the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific region The species natural range extends from South Africa throughout much of Africa and the Middle East to India Indochina Southern China Indomalaya and into Meganesia 2 3 4 The species is also found on several Indian Oceans islands including Mauritius Reunion and the Seychelles Cynanchum viminale Scientific classification Kingdom Plantae Clade Tracheophytes Clade Angiosperms Clade Eudicots Clade Asterids Order Gentianales Family Apocynaceae Genus Cynanchum Species C viminale Binomial name Cynanchum viminale L L Synonyms 1 Asclepias aphylla Thunb Cynanchum aphyllum Schult Schltr Cynanchum aphyllum L Monostemma aphyllum Schult Turcz Sarcostemma aphyllum Schult Sarcostemma viminale L R Br Euphorbia viminalis L In keeping with its wide distribution the species is known by a range of common names including caustic creeper caustic bush sacred soma soma rou shan hu 2 Rapunzel plant liane calle and kitupa 3 Contents 1 Description 2 Taxonomy 3 Uses 3 1 As a food 3 2 Medicinal 4 References 5 External linksDescription editCynanchum viminale is a leafless succulent plant with cylindrical green photosynthetic stems 5 6 The plant may grow as a shrub or a scandent vine The stems produce copious amounts of milky exudate when broken This exudate is caustic in nature and can cause burns if it contacts human skin The plant produces small white flowers in clusters Flowers are followed by long pods which produce numerous seeds with silky plumes that aid in wind dispersal 5 The environmental range of the species is very broad extending from rainforest margins and monsoon forests 5 to arid deserts 3 7 Toxicity appears to be variable even locally The plant is known to cause poisoning and death in livestock 3 8 9 Taxonomy editThe taxonomic status of this species is controversial The genus Sarcostemma has been shown to be nested within the genus Cynanchum 10 and Sarcostemma was put into synonymy with Cynanchum in 2002 Thus Sarcostemma viminale is correctly known as Cynanchum viminale However this change has not been accepted by all taxonomists and the name Sarcostemma remains in use by a minority 3 11 despite later genetic evidence 10 The species has numerous subspecies though precisely how many remains in dispute and this is further complicated by the difficulty in definitively distinguishing C viminale from closely related species 10 12 13 Uses editAs a food edit In Kenya it is considered quality forage in Somalia and South Africa the stems are eaten by humans either raw or cooked 3 Medicinal edit The plant has been used as a traditional medicine to treat a range of conditions including sores and wounds smallpox eye infections diarrhoea intestinal and skin parasites and insufficient milk production 3 6 14 The aerial parts roots and latex of the plant are all used for medicine and the method of use various from ingestion of plant parts drinking a decoction of the plant application of the sap to affected parts exposure to smoke from the burning plant or placing patients onto bedding made from the plant 3 15 Care is usually required because of the poisonous and caustic nature of the sap however in some locales toxicity is considered low at least for part of the year 3 References edit Cynanchum viminale L L Plants of the World Online Kew Science Plants of the World Online Retrieved 2020 03 23 a b Cynanchum viminale Germplasm Resources Information Network Agricultural Research Service United States Department of Agriculture Retrieved 19 January 2018 a b c d e f g h i Schmelzer G H Gurib Fakim A Arroo R R J Bosch C H de Ruijter A Simmonds M S J 2008 Plant Resources of Tropical Africa Volume 11 Medicinal Plants 1 Backhuys Publishers Wageningen Netherlands Robert Pokras Lucila Calimag amp James Factor 1991 New geographic data on the leafless species of the genus Sarcostemma Asclepiadaceae Israel Journal of Botany 40 4 331 338 doi 10 1080 0021213X 1991 10677211 inactive 31 January 2024 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a CS1 maint DOI inactive as of January 2024 link a b c F A Zich B P M Hyland T Whiffen R A Kerrigan 2020 Cynanchum viminale subsp brunonianum Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation CSIRO Retrieved 2 March 2021 a b Customary Medicinal Knowledgebase Macquarie University Archived from the original on 2011 02 24 Retrieved 2014 08 13 Cunningham G M W E Mulham P L Milthorpe and J H Leigh 2011 Plants of Western New South Wales CSIRO Publishing Collingwood Botha C J Venter Elna 2002 Sarcostemma viminale UPSpace hdl 2263 8507 Kellerman T S Coetzer J A W Naude T W and Botha C J 2005 Plant poisonings and mycotoxicoses of livestock in Southern Africa 2nd edition Oxford University Press Cape Town ISBN 0 19 576134 0 a b c Ulrich Meve amp Sigrid Liede Schumann 2012 Taxonomic dissolution of Sarcostemma Apocynaceae Asclepiadoideae Kew Bulletin 67 4 751 758 doi 10 1007 s12225 012 9384 2 S2CID 13307759 D J Goyder 2008 Nomenclatural changes resulting from the transfer of tropical African Sarcostemma to Cynanchum Apocynaceae Asclepiadoideae Kew Bulletin 63 3 471 472 doi 10 1007 s12225 008 9051 9 S2CID 23092665 Sigrid Liede Schumann Stefan Dotterl Margit Gebauer Ulrich Meve 8 July 2012 A RAPD study of the Sarcostemma group of Cynanchum Apocynaceae Asclepiadoideae Asclepiadeae Organisms Diversity and Evolution 13 1 15 31 doi 10 1007 S13127 012 0099 X ISSN 1439 6092 Wikidata Q56807237 Sigrid Liede Ulrich Meve May 1993 Towards an understanding of the Sarcostemma viminale Asclepiadaceae complex Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 112 1 1 15 doi 10 1111 J 1095 8339 1993 TB00303 X ISSN 0024 4074 Wikidata Q43304083 Webb L J 1969 The Use of Plant Medicines and Poisons by Australian Aborigines Mankind 7 2 Latz P J 1995 Bushfires and Bushtucker Aboriginal plant use in central Australia 1995 Oxford PressExternal links editCyanchum viminale occurrence data and images from GBIF nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cynanchum viminale Entry for Sarcostemma viminale at JSTOR Plant Science Sarcostemma viminale in West African plants A Photo Guide Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cynanchum viminale amp oldid 1201864637, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
