Apocynaceae FAMILY

Catharanthus lanceus

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

3/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Catharanthus lanceus is a herbaceous perennial plant with decumbent stems, growing up to 1 metre tall, with a carrot-shaped taproot up to 70cm long. There is a white latex in all parts of the plant [ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild, mainly for local use as a medicine, though the plant is also sometimes exported[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeAfrica - central Madagascar.

HabitatMainly in sunny positions on volcanic soil, laterite covering quartzite and granitic rock; periodically burned areas; open woodland on ridges; among rocks on hillsides; in ruderal grassland and along roadsides, at elevations from 750 - 2,000 metres[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ].