Haplophyton

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Lamiids
Ordo: Gentianales

Familia: Apocynaceae
Subfamilia: Rauvolfioideae
Tribus: Aspidospermateae
Genus: Haplophyton
Species: H. cimicidum – H. crooksii

Name

Haplophyton A.DC. in A.P.de Candolle, Prodr. 8: 412 (1844)

Type species: Haplophyton cimicidum A.DC. in A.P.de Candolle, Prodr. 8: 412 (1844)

References

Candolle, A.L.P.P. de 1844. Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis 8: 412–413.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2017. Haplophyton in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2017 Oct. 20. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2017. Haplophyton. Published online. Accessed: Oct. 20 2017.
Tropicos.org 2017. Haplophyton. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2017 Oct. 20.

Haplophyton is a genus of plants in the family Apocynaceae, first described in 1844. It is native to the southwestern United States, Mexico, Cuba, and Guatemala.[1][2] It is a suffrutescent herb with alternative leaves and showy colorful flowers.[3]

The common name cockroach plant (or hierba de la cucaracha) is in reference to its insecticidal properties. It has been used to kill cockroaches, fleas, flies, lice, and mosquitoes.[4] Leaf extracts and sap contain many insecticidal compounds — such as the indole alkaloid aspidophytine.
Species

Some authors accept three species in the genus, others recognize two, considering H. cinereum synonymous with H. cimicidum. The World Checklist recognizes:

Haplophyton cimicidum A.DC. (syn H. cinereum (A.Rich.) Woodson) - Michoacán, Puebla, Morelos, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Guatemala; naturalized in Cuba
Haplophyton crooksii (L.D.Benson) L.D.Benson - S Arizona, SW New Mexico, W Texas, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Cuba

References

"Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families". Apps.kew.org. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
"Biota of North America Program 2013 county distribution map, Haplophyton crooksii". Retrieved 2020-10-26.
Williams, J. K. 1995. Miscellaneous notes on Haplophyton (Apocynaceae: Plumerieae: Haplophytinae). Sida 16(3): 469–475
McLaughlin, S.P. 1993. Apocynaceae A.L. Juss., Dogbane Family. Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science 27:164-168.