CATHARANTHUS

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Catharanthus mean? 

• CATHARANTHUS (noun)
  The noun CATHARANTHUS has 1 sense:

1. small genus of erect annual or perennial herbs native to Madagascar; widely naturalized in the tropics; formerly included in genus Vinca

  Familiarity information: CATHARANTHUS used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CATHARANTHUS (noun)

Meaning:

Small genus of erect annual or perennial herbs native to Madagascar; widely naturalized in the tropics; formerly included in genus Vinca

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Synonyms:

Catharanthus; genus Catharanthus

Hypernyms ("Catharanthus" is a kind of...):

dicot genus; magnoliopsid genus (genus of flowering plants having two cotyledons (embryonic leaves) in the seed which usually appear at germination)

Meronyms (members of "Catharanthus"):

Cape periwinkle; Catharanthus roseus; cayenne jasmine; Madagascar periwinkle; old maid; periwinkle; red periwinkle; rose periwinkle; Vinca rosea (commonly cultivated Old World woody herb having large pinkish to red flowers)

Holonyms ("Catharanthus" is a member of...):

Apocynaceae; dogbane family; family Apocynaceae (chiefly tropical trees or shrubs or herbs having milky juice and often showy flowers; many are sources of drugs)