Bali Shortcake vs Common Periwinkle

Acropora latistella compared with Vinca minor

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bali Shortcake	Common Periwinkle
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Cnidaria (Cnidarians)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Anthozoa	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Scleractinia (Scleractinia)	Gentianales (Gentianales)
Family	Acroporidae	Apocynaceae
Genus	Acropora	Vinca
Species	Acropora latistella	Vinca minor

Conservation Status

Bali Shortcake

LC — Least Concern

Common Periwinkle

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bali Shortcake	Common Periwinkle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bali Shortcake

Habitat

Native to Asia, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Taiwan.

Common Periwinkle

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Asia (Armenia, Japan, Turkey), Europe (18 countries), North America (Canada, Mexico, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Brazil).

Bali Shortcake

The Bali Shortcake (Acropora latistella) is a species in the genus Acropora. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Native to Asia, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Common Periwinkle

<em>Vinca minor</em>, known as the common periwinkle or lesser periwinkle, is a trailing evergreen subshrub in the family Apocynaceae, widely recognised by its glossy dark-green leaves and distinctive violet-blue, five-petalled flowers. Native to central and southern Europe, it has been extensively introduced and naturalised across a remarkably wide geographic range, with established populations documented across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America, making it one of the more globally distributed ornamental escapees. The species typically colonises woodland edges, hedgerows, roadsides, and disturbed ground, often forming dense ground-covering mats that can suppress native vegetation. <em>Vinca minor</em> is tolerant of shade and a variety of soil types, contributing to its success as both a garden plant and an invasive species in some regions. It is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List given its vast distribution and adaptability. In many countries outside its native range, it is considered invasive. Biological traits such as average lifespan, precise growth dimensions, and detailed physiological parameters remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. The species contains alkaloids including vincamine, which have been investigated for pharmaceutical applications.