Catharanthus
Sign in to saveCatharanthus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae. Like the genus Vinca, they are known commonly as periwinkles. It is a perennial herb and a subshrub endemic to Madagascar, with the exception of Catharanthus pusillus (commonly known as the tiny periwinkle), which is found in India and Sri Lanka. The most widely known species is Catharanthus roseus due to its usage in traditional and modern medicine, specifically as a source of cancer-treating alkaloid chemicals.
Taxonomy · GBIF
GENUS
- KingdomPlantae
- PhylumTracheophyta
- ClassMagnoliopsida
- OrderGentianales
- FamilyApocynaceae
via GBIF · CC0
Article
8 sectionsContents
- Description
- Taxonomy
- Species
- Distribution and habitat
- Uses
- Gallery
- References
- External links
Catharanthus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae. Like the genus Vinca, they are known commonly as periwinkles. It is a perennial herb and a subshrub endemic to Madagascar, with the exception of Catharanthus pusillus (commonly known as the tiny periwinkle), which is found in India and Sri Lanka. The most widely known species is Catharanthus roseus due to its usage in traditional and modern medicine, specifically as a source of cancer-treating alkaloid chemicals.
thumb|Catharanthus pusillus thumb|Catharanthus lanceus