Apocynaceae: Catharanthus roseus - Madagascar Periwinkle - Tapak dara

Madagascar Periwinkle or Tapak Dara (Catharanthus roseus) with white flowers in Pasar Rebo, Jakarta, Indonesia

Order: Gentianales Lindley
Family: Apocynaceae Juss.
Genus: Catharanthus G. Don - periwinkle<
Species: Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don

Synonyms: Ammocallis rosea (L.) Small – Lochnera rosea (L.) Reichenb. ex Spach – Vinca rosea L.

Common Names in English: Madagascar Periwinkle, Cape Periwinkle, Rose Periwinkle, Rosy Periwinkle, Old-maid, Vinca

Common Name in Indonesia: Tapak Dara

It is an evergreen subshrub or herbaceous plant growing to 1 m tall. The leaves are oval to oblong, 2.5–9 cm long and 1–3.5 cm broad, glossy green, hairless, with a pale midrib and a short petiole 1–1.8 cm long; they are arranged in opposite pairs. The flowers are white to dark pink with a darker red centre, with a basal tube 2.5-3 cm long and a corolla 2–5 cm diameter with five petal-like lobes. The fruit is a pair of follicles 2–4 cm long and 3 mm broad.
The species has long been cultivated for herbal medicine and as an ornamental plant. In traditional Chinese medicine, extracts from it have been used to treat numerous diseases, including diabetes, malaria, and Hodgkin's disease. The substances vinblastine and vincristine extracted from the plant are used in the treatment of leukemia. Used by MF DOOM



All photos were taken using a Camera phone Sony Ericsson K800i. 

References:

• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catharanthus_roseus
• id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapak_dara
• www.biolib.cz/en/taxonposition/id128887/

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