Catharanthus G.Don
First published in Gen. Hist. 4: 95 (1837)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Madagascar, Indian Subcontinent.
Descriptions
Apocynaceae, A. J. M. Leeuwenberg & F. K. Kupicha et al. Flora Zambesiaca 7:2. 1985
- Morphology General Habit
- Herbs, perennial or annual, often woody at the base, branched to a varying degree.
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaves herbaceous to thinly coriaceous, opposite, mucronate, with a fringe or intra- and interpetiolar colleters.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Inflorescences terminal, but apparently lateral due to pseudomonopodial continuation of the stem by alternating development of one of the axillary buds of the apical pair of leaves, 1–2-flowered.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Flowers actinomorphic.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
- Sepals narrowly to very narrowly oblong, subulate, eglandular.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
- Corolla purple, red, pink, or white, hypocrateriform; tube laxly puberulous or glabrous, constricted and woolly to velvety at the throat; lobes spreading, obliquely obovate, spiculate.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
- Stamens inserted at the widest portion of the corolla-tube (usually above the middle); anthers oblong obtuse at the base.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
- Ovary of two very narrowly oblong carpels; disk composed of two narrowly triangular to narrowly oblong glands, the bases of which touch each other at the abaxial sides of the carpels; style filiform; clavuncula cylindrical, at the base provided with a reflexed hyaline frill; ovules numerous.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Fruit composed of two follicles; follicles cylindrical, acute.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
- Seed black, oblong; testa rugose; hilum lateral; cotyledons flat, shorter than the radicle; endosperm scanty.
M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS
- Morphology General Habit
- Perennial or annual herbs or subshrubs; latex white
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaves opposite; stipules filiform
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Flowers in 1–2-flowered terminal or seemingly axillary inflorescences
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
- Calyx with narrow lobes
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
- Corolla salver-shaped; lobes mostly obliquely obovate
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona
- Corona absent
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
- Stamens usually inserted above the middle of the corolla-tube
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
- Ovary of 2 free narrowly oblong carpels; style with cylindrical head
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Fruit of 2 cylindrical follicles
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
- Seeds oblong, without a tuft of hairs at one end.
- Distribution
- Genus of nine species, two in India, one of those in Sri Lanka, the others on Madagascar.
Sources
-
Flora Zambesiaca
- Flora Zambesiaca
- http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
-
Flora of Somalia
- Flora of Somalia
- http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
-
Kew Backbone Distributions
- The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
- © Copyright 2022 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
-
Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone
- The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
- © Copyright 2022 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0