Nerium oleander L.

Nerium oleander L. (Apocynaceae), the only species currently classified in the genus Nerium. Oleander is an evergreen shrub with thick and pointy leaves arranged in pairs or whorls of 3 along the stem. This fast-growing tropical shrub produces clusters of reddish 5-petalled flowers at the end of branches and are sweetly scented. Leaves glossy and thick, with prominent mid-rib. Leaves lanceolate, arranged in pairs or whorls of 3 along woody stem. Flowers fragrant, bright red and showy, 5 petals, in clusters, on the end of each branch. It is cultivated worldwide and is one of the most poisonous of commonly grown garden plants. In traditional medicine, the inhalation of the vapors arising from a heated decoction of the roots is used to treat headaches and colds. Decoctions of the leaves are used for skin diseases and against paralysis and pain in extremities. In the Sinai desert (Egypt), the plant is widely used in traditional Bedouin medicine to treat cancers. Nerium oleander contains several lethal toxins, neroside, and oleandroside, the cardiac glycosides oleandrin and oleandrigenin.

References
1. Victor Kuete (2014). In: Toxicological Survey of African Medicinal Plants.
2. https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/2/2/2264