Catharanthus roseus
Catharanthus roseus (Wikipedia)
Madagascar rosy periwinkle | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Gentianales |
Family: | Apocynaceae |
Genus: | Catharanthus |
Species: | C. roseus
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Binomial name | |
Catharanthus roseus | |
Synonyms | |
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Catharanthus roseus, commonly known as the Madagascar periwinkle, rose periwinkle, or rosy periwinkle, is a species of flowering plant in the dogbane family Apocynaceae. It is native and endemic to Madagascar, but grown elsewhere as an ornamental and medicinal plant, a source of the drugs vincristine and vinblastine, used to treat cancer. Other English names include '“Cape periwinkle” and "old-maid". It was formerly included in the genus Vinca as Vinca rosea.