Catharanthus Roseus

 

   

• Catharanthus roseus is a species of Flowering plant in the family of Apocynaceae.
• Catharanthus is nnative to Madagascar, it is also grown at many places as an Ornamental and medicinal plant.
• It is also called as  Vinca Rosea.
• It is a Periwinkle Shrub which flowers as different colors.

  

• Catharanthus roseus is an evergreen Shrub, Leaves are Oval broad glossy green.
• The Flowers are white to dark pink with a dark red in centre.
• The fruit is a pair of follicles.
• The each Vinca Rosea flower has 5 petals.

• It is also Cultivated as an ornamental plant and popular subtropical gardens.
• It is noted for its long flowering period, throughout the year in tropical conditions.
• Numerous cultivars have been selected, for different variation in catharanthus flower(White, dark pink, orange, reddish,peach).
• It is Extremley Toxic is Consumed orally by Humans.

  

• The Traditional use has been cultivated for herbal medicine.
• In Indian traditional medicine extracts of its roots and shoot though poisonous, are used against several diseases.
• Chemotherapy medications used to treat several types of cancers, are found in the plant.
• The insulin-stimulating Vincoline(Is an ALKALOID isolated from Catharanthus Roseus) has been isolated from the plant .

  

• However it is widely cultivated and naturalized in tropical  areas of the world like Australia, Malaysia, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
•  Despite the medical importance and wide use, the Alkaloids ate produced at very low yields.
• These flowers as also used as Show-case.

                                                               Flower Petals of  Vinca Rosea