Madagascar Periwinkle

Description:

The discovery of powerful medicinal plants, such as the Madagascar periwinkle, is a potent reminder of the need to conserve and study the increasingly threatened plants and habitats of the world. The attractive white or pink flowers comprise five petals spreading from a long, tubular throat, while the leathery, dark green leaves are arranged in opposite pairs. Each fruit is formed of two narrow, cylindrical follicles which house numerous grooved seeds. The sap is a milky latex.

Habitat:

Found on sand and limestone soils in woodland, forest, grassland, and disturbed areas.

Notes:

The Madagascar periwinkle is indigenous to Madagascar, but is cultivated and naturalized throughout the tropics and parts of the subtropics