A large plant family including dogbane, periwinkle, and oleander, typically with five-petaled flowers and milky sap.
From Apocynum (the genus name, from Greek apo- 'away' + kyōn 'dog') with the Latin family suffix -aceae. Named because the plant was believed to be toxic to dogs.
Apocynaceae plants like periwinkle contain powerful alkaloids used to treat childhood leukemia—a 'dog-poison' flower that actually saves human lives!
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