Gen info
- Apocynaceae - from the Greek Apocynum for "dog-away" - is a family of flowering plants that includes trees, shrubs, herbs, stem succulents, and vines, commonly known as as dogbane family from some of the taxa that were used as dog poison. Notable members of the family include oleander, dogbanes, milkweeds, wax plants, and periwinkles. (3)
- Cryptolepis sinensis is a species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae.
- Etymology: The genus name Cryptolepis derives from Greek words kryptos meaning "hidden," and lepis meaning "scale " or "flake," referring to the flower structure, specifically the corona scales, which are concealed within the corolla tube.

Botany
• Lianas to 3 m; glabrous throughout. Branchlets red-brown, exfoliating. Petiole 5-7 mm; leaf blade oblong to lanceolate, 1.5-6 × 0.8-2.5 cm, base rounded to shallowly cordate, apex rounded, apiculate; lateral veins 5-9 pairs. Cymes terminal or axillary, lax, longer than leaves. Pedicel 1-3.5 cm. Sepals ovate, ca. 1 mm; basal glands 10. Corolla yellowish; tube ca. 5 mm; lobes oblong lanceolate or linear, 1-1.5 cm. Corona lobes club-shaped. Anthers glabrous. Follicles cylindric, to 12.5 cm × 6-8 mm. Seeds brown, oblong, ca. 1 cm × 2 mm; coma ca. 2.5 cm. (Flora of China)

• Chinese Wax-Leaf Climber is a slender climber, with leaves oblong to linear oblong, 4.2-6 x 1.4-3 cm. Flower tube is 4-5 mm long; petals 1.1-1.5 cm long, curved and twisted often recurved. Corona scales are tiny 1 mm long, not noticeable. Flower-cluster-stalks are 1.5-3 cm long, branches 1-2 cm; flower-stalks 8-17 mm, sepals about 2 x 1.5 mm. Flowers are borne in few flowered cymes, which are very laxly branched. Branches are without persistent scaly bracts, very slender. Leaves have tip blunt apiculate to tapering, base blunt flat, rarely heart-shaped, veins not so numerous and parallel, somewhat leathery; leaf-stalks 8-10 mm, very slender. Seed-pods are long and slender, 13-17 x 0.7 cm, without 2 lateral flanges. (Flowers of India)

Distribution
- Native to the Philippines. (1)
- Also native to Andaman Is., Assam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China South-Central, China Southeast, East Himalaya, Hainan, India, Jawa, Laos, Malaya, Myanmar, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam. (1)

Studies
• No studies found.

Availability
- Wild-crafted.

Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Cryptolepis sinensis / KEW: Plants of the World Online
(2)
Cryptolepis sinensis / Wikipedia
(3)
Apocynaceae / Wikipedia

DOI: It is not uncommon for links on studies/sources to change. Copying and pasting the information on the search window or using the DOI (if available) will often redirect to the new link page. (Citing and Using a (DOI) Digital Object Identifier)