Catharanthus roseus is commonly known as Madagascar Periwinkle or Rosy Periwinkle. This species is known as Kemunting Cina in Malay. It is actually native to Madagascar, but has over time been widely cultivated and naturalized in most tropical countries where it sometimes becomes an unwanted weed.

This species belongs to the Apocynaceae family with the characteristic presence of white latex in its bark. It is classified as a semi-shrub and can grow up to about 100 cm tall. It has shining dark green leaves arranged in opposite pairs (Ng, 2006). The leaves are oval to oblong, with a light green midrib and a short petiole. The flower has 5 petals with a basal tube. The fruit is a pair of follicles.

In Malaysia, C. roseus is often cultivated as an ornamental plant in the home garden and in some public areas due to its ability to tolerate extreme conditions of drought and heavy rainfall and also because it flowers continuously throughout the year. The various beautiful colours of its flowers, such as pink, purple and white, has also made it a popular choice as an ornamental plant.