not available
Description: Catharanthus roseus is common ornamental plant is a small erect, shrub-like herb with poisonous milky sap in the Dogbane family, Apocynaceae. It produces simple, opposite, glossy green leaves, and its attractive rose to white colored flowers have a darker throat. The fruit is a pair of or pod-like segments (Taafaki et al, 2006, also see Stone, 1970: 480-481).
Distribution: Catharanthus roseus is thought to be native to Madagascar in the Indian Ocean but is now a popular planted decorative species found worldwide throughout the tropics and subtropics (Stone, 1970:480-481) including many islands in Micronesia, and it sometimes if found as an escaped ornamental that has naturalized “growing along protected beaches and sandy waste places.” (Taafaki et al. 2006).
Uses by Island or Island Group: The Madagascar Periwinkle, C. roseus, has a lengthy history of use in herbal medicine and as an ornamental plant, and it is now a common decorative species cultivated in gardens and other places on many islands in Micronesia:
“Catharanthus roseus (L.) known as Madagascar periwinkle (MP) is a legendary medicinal plant mostly because of possessing two invaluable antitumor terpenoid indole alkaloids (TIAs), vincristine and vinblastine. The plant has also high aesthetic value as an evergreen ornamental that yields prolific blooms of splendid colors” (Nejat et al. 2015).
Because it naturalizes in the sandy soils of tropical islands such as many of those in Micronesia, there is some concern about it becoming an invasive species. On the other hand, C. roseus has some medicinal uses on some of these islands. In fact, this species has a long history of traditional use of it roots and shoots to treat several diseases including diabetes, malaria and Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Indeed, this species is a pharmacologically significant medicinal source of the useful vinblastine and vincristine alkaloids used in the treatment of leukemia, however, it can be very toxic if ingested orally by people. As an ornamental plant, it is appreciated for its hardiness in dry and nutritionally deficient conditions as well as its long flowering period throughout the year in tropical conditions. It is also worth noting here an additional characteristic of this plant that is especially significant in the scientific community:
“[Catharanthus roseus] possesses yet another unique characteristic as an amiable experimental host for the maintenance of the smallest bacteria found on earth, the phytoplasmas and spiroplasmas, and serves as a model for their study” (Nejat et al. 2015).
Uses in Mariana Islands: On Guam, Safford (1905:310), identified the “Madagascar periwinkle” as Lochnera rosea (syn. of Catharanthus roseus), and described it as a “plant growing in cultivation and in waste places with pretty slaver-shaped rose colored flowers (sometime white with a crimson eye).” The Madagascar periwinkle has also been observed on a number of islands in the Northern Mariana Islands, e.g., Falanruw et al 19 :10) referred to Churchurika as the Chamorro name for C. roseus and included this introduced species as among the common ornamental plants on Saipan, Rota and Tinian in their survey of the vegetation of these islands. Fosberg et al. (1975:36) reported C. roseus as being “cultivated and naturalized around villages and camps” on Agrigan, Pagan Alamagan, Sarigan and Anatahan; and Pratt (2011:55) reported C. roseus growing uncommonly “in forest and grassland [on the] south side of northern Pagan” which were probably naturalized plants decendent from ornamentals cultivated when people were allowed to reside on this volcanically explosive high island.
Uses in the Marshall Islands: “On Majuro [Madagascar Periwinkle] is a common ornamental and potted plant that is often used as a border planting around private homes, schools and businesses.” (Taafaki et al, 2006: 211). Medicinally it is reported used in the Marshall Islands to treat kidney problems, diabetes, and arthritis.
Uses in Nauru: The Madagascar Periwinkle was introduced to this island before World War II. C. roseus is planted on Nauru as an ornamental, its flowers are used in garlands, and it is “reportedly boiled by some people and drunk as a cure for diabetes” (Thaman et al. 1994:91).