Apocynum cannabinum
Plant species in the dogbane family
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Apocynum cannabinum (dogbane, amy root, hemp dogbane, prairie dogbane, Indian hemp, hemp dogsbane, rheumatism root, dogsbane, or wild cotton)[4] is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows throughout much of North America—in the southern half of Canada and throughout the United States. It is poisonous to humans, dogs, cats, and horses. All parts of the plant contain toxic cardiac glycosides that can cause potentially fatal cardiac arrhythmias if ingested. Some Lepidoptera can withstand the toxins and feed on this plant.
| Apocynum cannabinum | |
|---|---|
| |
| Apocynum cannabinum in flower | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Apocynaceae |
| Genus: | Apocynum |
| Species: | A. cannabinum |
| Binomial name | |
| Apocynum cannabinum | |
 | |
| Natural range in North America[2] | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
| |
Description
Apocynum cannabinum grows up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) tall. The stems are reddish and contain a milky latex. The leaves are opposite, simple, broad, and lanceolate, 7–15 cm (2+3⁄4–6 in) long and 3–5 cm (1+1⁄4–2 in) broad, entire, and smooth on top with white hairs on the underside. It flowers from July to August, has large sepals, and a five-lobed white corolla. The flowers are hermaphrodite, with both male and female organs.[5] The seeds have white, silky hairs to aid in wind dispersal, but the lightweight seed is also able to disperse via water due to its light weight.[6] The root system consists of short rhizomes and horizontal roots.[6]
Taxonomy
Apocynum cannabinum was described and named by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. It is classified in the genus Apocynum, a part of the family Apocynaceae. It has no accepted subspecies, but it has 90 synonyms.[3]
| Name | Year | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apocynum album Greene | 1897 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum angustifolium Wooton | 1913 | species | = het., nom. illeg. |
| Apocynum arenarium Greene | 1912 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum bebbianum Greene | 1912 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum bolanderi Greene | 1912 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum breweri Greene | 1912 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum canadense Shecut | 1806 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum var. album (Greene) Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum var. angustifolium N.H.Holmgren | 1984 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum f. arenarium (Greene) B.Boivin | 1966 | form | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum var. bolanderi (Greene) Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum subsp. cordigerum (Greene) Á.Löve & D.Löve | 1982 | subspecies | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum var. estellinum (Greene) Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum var. floribundum Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum var. glaberrimum A.DC. | 1844 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum var. greeneanum (Bég. & Belosersky) Woodson | 1930 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum var. hypericifolium (Aiton) A.Gray | 1848 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum var. incanum Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum var. isophyllum (Greene) Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum var. lanceolatum Durand & Hilg. | 1854 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum var. nemorale (G.S.Mill.) Fernald | 1908 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum var. oliganthum Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum var. palustre Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum f. pennsilvanicum Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | form | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum var. puberulum Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum f. pubescens (Mitch. ex R.Br.) Voss | 1894 | form | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum var. pubescens (Mitch. ex R.Br.) A.DC. | 1844 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum var. suksdorfii (Greene) Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum cannabinum var. typicum Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | variety | ≡ hom., not validly publ. |
| Apocynum carolinii Nieuwl. | 1913 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum cervinum Greene | 1912 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum cinereum Nieuwl. | 1913 | species | = het., nom. illeg. |
| Apocynum cordigerum Greene | 1911 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum cuspidatum Greene ex Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum densiflorum Greene | 1912 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum dictyotum Greene | 1912 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum dimidiatum Raf. | 1840 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum estellinum Greene | 1912 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum farwellii Greene | 1912 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum farwellii f. anomalum Farw. | 1916 | form | = het. |
| Apocynum farwellii var. glaucum Farw. | 1916 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum farwellii f. ternarium Farw. | 1916 | form | = het. |
| Apocynum farwellii f. verticillare Farw. | 1916 | form | = het. |
| Apocynum greeneanum Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum hypericifolium Aiton | 1789 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum hypericifolium var. angustifolium Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum hypericifolium f. arenarium (Greene) F.C.Gates | 1911 | form | = het. |
| Apocynum hypericifolium var. cordigerum (Greene) Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum hypericifolium var. farwellii (Greene) Woodson | 1930 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum hypericifolium var. intermedium Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum hypericifolium var. myrianthum (Greene) Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum hypericifolium var. nevadense (Goodd.) Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum hypericifolium var. oblongum (Greene) Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum hypericifolium var. salignum (Greene) Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum hypericifolium var. typicum Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | variety | = het., not validly publ. |
| Apocynum isophyllum Greene | 1912 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum ithacense Greene | 1912 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum laurinum Greene | 1902 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum littorale Greene | 1912 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum longifolium Greene | 1912 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum macounii Greene ex Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum missouriense Greene | 1912 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum myrianthum Greene | 1904 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum nemorale G.S.Mill. | 1900 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum neogeum Bég. & Belosersky | 1913 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum nevadense Goodd. | 1904 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum oblongum Greene | 1902 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum oliganthum Greene | 1904 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum palustre Greene | 1904 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum piscatorium Douglas ex A.DC | 1844 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum platyphyllum Greene | 1912 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum procerum Greene | 1912 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum pubescens Mitch. ex R.Br. | 1811 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum purpureum Tausch | 1836 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum salignum Greene | 1902 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum sibiricum Jacq. | 1777 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum sibiricum f. arenarium (Greene) Fernald | 1935 | form | = het. |
| Apocynum sibiricum var. cordigerum (Greene) Fernald | 1935 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum sibiricum var. farwellii (Greene) Woodson | 1938 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum sibiricum var. salignum (Greene) Fernald | 1935 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum subuligerum Greene | 1912 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum suksdorfii Greene | 1902 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum suksdorfii var. angustifolium (Bég. & Belosersky) Woodson | 1930 | variety | = het. |
| Apocynum suksdorfii var. typicum Greene | 1902 | variety | = het., not validly publ. |
| Apocynum thermale Greene | 1912 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum tomentulosum Nieuwl. | 1913 | species | = het. |
| Apocynum venetum A.DC. | 1844 | species | = het., nom. illeg. |
| Cynopaema cannabinum (L.) Lunell | 1916 | species | ≡ hom. |
| Cynopaema hypericifolium (Aiton) Lunell | 1916 | species | = het. |
| Forsteronia pavonii A.DC. | 1844 | species | = het. |
| Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym; = heterotypic synonym | |||
Etymology
Apocynum means "poisonous to dogs".[citation needed] The specific epithet cannabinum, and the common names hemp dogbane and Indian hemp refer to its similarity to Cannabis as a source of fiber.[7] It likely got its name from its resemblance to a European species of the same name.[which?][8] It is called qéemu [qǽːmu] in Nez Perce[9] and [taxʷɨ́s] in Sahaptin.[citation needed] The Maidu Concow people call the plant pö (Konkow language).[10]
Distribution and habitat
Apocynum cannabinum grows in open wooded areas, ditches, and hillsides. It is found in gravelly or sandy soil, mainly near streams in shady or moist places.[5] It is also found in human-disturbed habitats.[11] It is native to much of North America—in the southern half of Canada and throughout the United States.[2]
Ecology
The plant serves as a larval host for the snowberry clearwing (Hemaris diffinis),[12] which is a pollinator that resembles a small hummingbird.[13] It is also a host plant for the dogbane tiger moth (Cycnia tenera) and the zebra caterpillar (Melanchra picta). The larvae of Marmara apocynella[12] feed on the stems, making a "long whitish serpentine mine".[14] Indian hemp is primarily pollinated by insects that are attracted to the fragrance and nectar of the flower.[6]
Toxicity
Uses
Fiber
Much like flax and hemp, Apocynum cannabinum contains long fibers in the stems, known as bast fibers, which can be extracted and used to create textiles. The fibers are very fine and strong, with a silky texture, and easier to process than hemp.[7] The stalks of this plant have been used as a source of fiber by Native Americans[18] to make bows, fire-bows, nets, tie-down straps, hunting nets, fishing lines, bags,[19] and clothing.[8] According to Craig Bates of the Yosemite Museum, five stalks of the plant are needed to make one foot of cordage. A large bag used for storing roots would take one to three months to complete.[20] The stems should be harvested in the fall, after the leaves have fallen and the stalks have turned a deep reddish-brown color. Since cutting the stalks promotes regrowth in the spring, as much as possible should be harvested. Unused stems are traditionally cleared away by burning, which causes the plant to grow back taller and straighter in spring.
Food
The seeds have an edible use as a meal (raw or cooked) when ground into a powder.[5]
Chewing gum
The plant's latex sap can be squeezed from the plant and allowed to stand overnight to harden into a white gum which can be used (sometimes mixed with clean clay) as chewing gum.[5]
Phytoremediation
Apocynum cannabinum can be used to sequester lead in its biomass by taking it up from the soil through its roots. This process, called phytoremediation, could help clean sites contaminated with lead.[21]
Medicinal
It is used in herbal medicine to treat fever and to slow the pulse.[22] Apocynum cannabinum has been employed by various Native American tribes to treat a wide variety of complaints including rheumatism, coughs, pox, whooping cough, asthma, internal parasites, diarrhea, and to increase lactation.[5] The root has been used as a tonic, cardiotonic, diaphoretic, diuretic, an emetic (to induce vomiting), and an expectorant.[22][5] It is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use. The fresh root is medicinally the most active part. A weak tea made from the dried root has been used for cardiac diseases and as a vermifuge (an agent that expels parasitic worms). The milky sap is a folk remedy for genital warts.[5] However, both illness and deaths have resulted from use as a medicine.[23]
