Medicinal Plants
Plants that people use to make medicine.
What is it?
For thousands of years, people have used plants to heal sickness. Many modern medicines come from plants. The Madagascar periwinkle is a great example: it produces chemicals that are used in chemotherapy. Other medicinal plants include the willow tree (which gave us aspirin) and the foxglove (which gives us a heart medicine). The Madagascar periwinkle is also known as the rosy periwinkle and is native to Madagascar. Its alkaloids, vincristine and vinblastine, are powerful cancer-fighting drugs.
Why it matters
Medicinal plants are a source of life-saving drugs. Protecting plant biodiversity helps ensure we don't lose potential cures.
Where you've seen it
This list grows as you capture more medicinal plants.