Definition

Noun: 1. A commonly cultivated Old World woody herb having large pinkish to red flowers: This is the primary definition for Catharanthus roseus, referring to a specific species of flowering plant. It is a perennial herb or subshrub, originally native to Madagascar (part of the Old World), and is widely grown in gardens for its attractive, five-petaled flowers.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The Catharanthus roseus in the botanical garden is thriving in the sunny border.
  • Many gardeners appreciate Catharanthus roseus for its long blooming season and drought tolerance.

Advanced Usage

• Scientific and Medicinal Context: Beyond horticulture, is critically important in medicine. It is the source of several alkaloids used in chemotherapy to treat various cancers, such as vincristine and vinblastine. In this context, it is often referred to by its former scientific name, , or its common names "Madagascar periwinkle" or "rosy periwinkle."
  • The anti-cancer compounds vincristine and vinblastine are derived from Catharanthus roseus.

Variants and Related Words

• Madagascar periwinkle (n): The most common English name for this plant.
• Rosy periwinkle (n): Another common name, describing the flower color.
• Vinca rosea (n): A former, now outdated, scientific name still encountered in some literature.
• Periwinkle (n): A more general common name that can refer to plants in the genus (e.g., ), which are different but related species. Using just "periwinkle" can be ambiguous.

Synonyms

• Madagascar periwinkle: The primary synonym in common usage.
• Rosy periwinkle: A descriptive synonym.
• Old maid (regional): A less common regional name.
• Cape periwinkle: Another regional name reflecting its cultivation.

Related Terms and Phrases

• Vinca alkaloids (n): The class of medically important chemical compounds extracted from this plant.
• Anticancer agent (n): A term describing the therapeutic use of compounds from .
• Apocynaceae (n): The plant family (dogbane family) to which belongs.

Noun

1. commonly cultivated Old World woody herb having large pinkish to red flowers