Tap. 8506. 
VINCA pirrormrs. 
South Europe and North Africa. 
APOCYNACEAE. Tribe PLUMERIOIDEAE. 
Vinca, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. ii. p. 703. 
Vinca difformis, Pourr.in Mém. Acad. Toul. vol. iii. p. 8333; Rowy, Fl. France, 
vol. x. p. 226; Coutinho, KI. Portug. p. 485; species V. majori, Linn., arcte 
affinis sed foliis basi minus late rotundatis vel breviter attenuatis, eciliatis, 
floribus paulo minoribus, sepalis glabris brevioribus, corollae segmentis 
superne minus latis distincta. 
Suffrutex humilis, sempervirens ramis sterilibus prostratis florentibus ascenden- 
tibus. Folia ovata e basi rotundata vel breviter acuta, apice obtusa vel 
subacuta, 8-7 cm. longa, 2°5~4°5 em. lata, glaberrima; petiolus 5-8 mm. 
longus. flores in foliorum superiorum axillis solitarii; jedicelli 1-4 cm. 
longi. S+palu linearia, paulo supra basin utrinque glandula wunita, 5-10 — 
mm. longa, raro longiora. Corolla coerulea; tubi pars infrastaminalis 
cylindrica, 4-5 mm. vel raro 6 mm. longa, pars suprastaminalis infundi- 
buliformis, Y-13 mm. longa; limbi segmenta oblique obovata, 12-20 mm. 
longa, 7-13 mm. lata. —V. media, Hoffg. et Link, Fl. Portug. vol. i. p. 376, 
t. 70. V. acutifora, Bertol. Fl. Ital. vol. ii. p. 751.—O. Srapr. 
The Periwinkle which forms the subject of our plate is a 
native of the Western and Central Mediterranean region 
from Portugal to Italy and Algeria, where it is to be met 
with in moist and shady places, mostly in hedges and woods. 
According to Dr. Schneider it is extremely rarely met with 
in cultivation. The plant which yielded the material for 
our illustration is one which was presented to Kew by 
Canon Ellacombe, in whose garden at Bitton the species has 
long been grown. It is a dwarf shrublet of the easiest 
cultivation where the climate is sufficiently warm for its 
constitution, but it is not so hardy as the two species, 
-V. major, Linn., and V. minor, Linn., which are most 
commonly met with in English gardens, The plant figured 
had been grown in the open air, but as it was thickly 
set with flower buds in November, 1912, it was taken up, 
potted, and placed in a greenhouse. From then until 
February, 1913, it kept up a continuous succession of flowers, 
Juy, 1918. 
