165 FLORA I1IST0RICA . 



Italians sometimes give it the name of Centocchio, 

 Hundred Eyes ; but the peasants of Italy generally 

 call it Fior di Morto, Death's Flower, because it 

 is used by them to make garlands for their dead 

 infants. The Greeks, who generally named plants 

 from some character in their natural history, called 

 the Periwinkle YLteitaris AzpvoeiSr,s, Clematis, from 

 its creeping nature, and Daphnoides, from the re- 

 semblance of the leaves to those of the Bay-tree. 

 The Latin name of Vinca is derived from vinco or 

 vincw, because it subdues other plants by its creep- 

 ing, or binds them by its runners. 



It is a plant to which our ancestors attributed 

 many medicinal virtues, and attached many ridi- 

 culous superstitions. Ray recommends it to fasten 

 loose teeth, and as a remedy for the tooth-ach ; and 

 most of the old writers extol its virtues as a gargle 

 for a relaxation of the uvula and palate ; and we 

 are assured that a strong decoction of it has been 

 found, when applied externally, very efficacious in 

 restraining profuse bleeding of the nose, or for any 

 kind of haemorrhage. Lord Bacon observes that 

 in his time it was common for people to wear bands 

 of Green Periwinkle tied about the calf of the hg, 

 to prevent the cramp ; and Coles says, in his history 

 of this plant, printed 1657, "I knew a friend of 

 mine, who was very vehemently tormented with the 

 cramp, for a long while, which could be by no 



