''Haplophyton'' is a genus of plants in the family

Apocynaceae Apocynaceae (, from '' Apocynum'', Greek for "dog-away") is a family of flowering plants that includes trees, shrubs, herbs, stem succulents, and vines, commonly known as the dogbane family, because some taxa were used as dog poison. Notable mem ...

, first described in 1844. It is native to the southwestern

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

, and

Guatemala Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...

. It is a suffrutescent herb with alternative leaves and showy colorful flowers. 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.McLaughlin, S.P. 1993. Apocynaceae A.L. Juss., Dogbane Family. Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science 27:164-168. Leaf extracts and sap contain many

insecticidal Insecticides are pesticides used to kill insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against insect eggs and larvae, respectively. The major use of insecticides is in agriculture, but they are also used in home and garden settings, in ...

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

External links

Texas Native Plants Database
Apocynaceae genera Flora of Northern America Rauvolfioideae {{Apocynaceae-stub