Taxonomy

Further information: List of subfamilies and genera of Apocynaceae

As of 2012, the family was described as comprising some 5,100 species, where Apocynoideae,
Asclepiadoideae, Periplocoideae, Rauvolfioideae, and Secamonoideae are its five subfamilies.[5] The
former family Asclepiadaceae is included in Apocynaceae according to the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group
III (APG III) modern, largely molecular-based system of flowering plant taxonomy.[6] An updated
classification, including 366 genera, 25 tribes and 49 subtribes, was published in 2014.[7]

Distribution and habitat

Species in this family are distributed mainly in tropical regions:

In the tropical forests and swamps of Indomalaya: small to very tall evergreen trees up to 80 m tall,
often with buttress roots, such as Alstonia and Dyera

In northern Australia: small evergreen trees such as Alstonia, Alyxia, Cerbera and Ochrosia

In deciduous forests of Africa, India and Indo-China: smaller trees such as Carissa, Wrightia and
Holarrhena

In tropical America, India, Myanmar and Malaya: evergreen trees and shrubs, such as Rauvolfia,
Tabernaemontana and Acokanthera

In Central America: Plumeria, or the frangipani, with its waxy white or pink flowers and a sweet scent

In South America, Africa and Madagascar: many lianas, such as Landolphia

In the Mediterranean region: Nerium, with the well-known oleander or be-still tree (Nerium oleander)

The only genera found in temperate Europe away from the Mediterranean are Vinca (Apocynoideae)
and Vincetoxicum (Asclepiadoideae). Also Asclepias syriaca is an invasive weed (e. g., in many areas of
Ukraine).

In North America: Apocynum, dogbane or Indian hemp, including Apocynum cannabinum, a traditional
source of fiber

In continental southern Africa (Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe)
and Madagascar, except for the humid evergreen forest of the eastern side of Madagascar, and never
above 2000 m for the entire island: Pachypodium and Fockea