Ruusukatara – Catharanthus roseus

Stems are woody at base, green or red, narrowly winged, young branches pubescent. Leaves are decussately opposite, simple, with 3-10 mm long petioles. Blade is oblong or oblanceolate, 2.5-8 x 1.5-4 cm, entire, apex obtuse or acute with mucronate tip, base obtuse or cuneate, sparsely shortly hairy to glabrous on both sides, shining green above, paler below, lateral nerves obscure. Inflorescence is an axillary or terminal 1-4 flowered cyme. Flowers are regular, pink or white, pedicel 1-3 mm long. Calyx tube is short, lobes linear, acute, 3-7 mm long, hairy. Corolla tube is 2-3 cm long, greenish, widening near the top at the insertion of the stamens, sparsely hairy to glabrous outside, with a ring of hairs in the throat. Corolla lobes are broadly obovate, 1-2.5 cm long, spreading, pink, rose-purple or white with a purple, red, pink, pale yellow or white centre. Stamens are inserted just below the corolla throat, with very short filaments. Ovary is superior. Style is slender, 15-25 mm long, ending to a pentagonal stigma. Fruit is composed of 2 slender cylindrical free follicles 1.5-4.5 cm long, striated, dehiscent, 10-20-seeded. Seeds are oblong, 2-3 mm long, grooved at one side, black. All parts of the plant exude toxic white latex.