Dilip Walse Patil

Scientific Name : Catharanthus roseus (L.) G.Don

Category : Angiosperms

Status : Alive

Habit : An erect, everblooming, ornamental herb, with branched tap root system. Stem : Erect, cylindrical, branched, solid, purple red with milky latex, pubescent. Leaves : Simple, exstipulate, opposite decussate subsessile or petiolate, ovate or obovate, entire, mucronate, unicostate reticulate. Inflorescence : Solitary axillary or dichasial cyme. Flowers : Ebracteate, pedicellate, complete, actinomorphic, bisexual, hypogynous, pentamerous, cyclic, rosy-purple in colour. Calyx made up of 5 sepals, polysepalous, valvate. Corolla made up of 5 petals, gamopetalous, twisted, pink, violet or purple in colour, hypocrateriform, throat of corolla swollen in which are present the stamens. Androecium of 5 stamens, polyandrous, epipetalous, filament short, anthers sagittate, dithecous, dorsifixed, introrse. Gynoecium bicarpellary, syncarpous but sometimes apocarpous, superior, ovary free, ovules many, marginal placentation, style long, stigma modified and capitate. Two green hypogynousnectaries or nectariferous scales are present. Nectaries are anteroposterior to the ovary. Fruit : Follicle Flowering and Fruiting Time :Throughout the year. Significance : It is generally found as a garden ornamental.