The Nikon MicroscopyU confocal microscopy image gallery was created with a PCM-2000 confocal scanning system interfaced to a Nikon Eclipse E600 upright microscope. Images were recorded in successive z-axis serial sections with C-Imaging Systems software with excitation illumination provided by an argon-ion and/or a helium-neon laser.

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Oleander, Nerium oleander, is an ornamental evergreen that belongs to the dogbane family, Apocynaceae. The best-known oleander shrub, called rosebay, is native to the Mediterranean and Middle East regions and is distinguished by dark green leaves that are thick, leathery, and lance-like.

Beginning in spring and continuing through autumn, oleander flowers burst into beautiful rose-like clusters of red, apricot, pink, or white. Common oleander is often found cultivated in greenhouses and is widely grown outdoors in warm regions, where it is often used as a freeway median divider. An adaptable root system allows the plant to root in many different types of terrain including unstable and pebbly ground.

Oleander is beautiful, but extremely deadly. A single leaf can kill an average size adult. In fact, all parts of the plant are highly toxic if ingested. The plant contains a poisonous glocosoid, a milky substance that is rich in salicine and other alkaloids. This poisonous sap can paralyze the hearts of humans and animals.