THE PEKIAVINKLE FAMILY. 211 



little hour-glass. The leaves are generally opposite, and always quite 

 entire ; the flowers regular, and formed of five united petals, which 

 are twisted while in the bud, with five stamens, inserted in the tube. 



Two species are accounted wild in England, the greater periwinkle 

 and the less, the latter being found near Manchester. 



The first, or " greater periwinkle " { Vinca major, Curtis, ii. 236), 

 has long, trailing, flowerless stems, with broadly ovate, evergreen, 

 shining leaves ; and simple and nearly erect flowering stems, rising to 

 the height of twelve or eighteen inches. This species is exceedingly 

 common in gardens, especially upon rockeries, which it prettily orna- 

 ments in spring with its glossy leaves and large flat blue flowers. 

 The sepals are ciliated. * 



The " small periwinkle " differs from the greater in its more trailing 

 habit of growth, inferior size, narrower, ovate, or oblong leaves ; 

 smaller flowers, and shorter and broader sepals, not ciliated. This one 

 also is common in gardens, where it varies with white flowers, with 

 double flowers, and with variegated leaves. The blossoms of both 

 species furnish exquisite objects for microscopical examination, not 

 only in the singular stigmas, but in the stamens, which are shaped 

 like a note of interrogation (?). The petals are oblique, and the mouth 

 of the tube is angular and closed with hairs. 



HABITATS AND LOCALITIES. 



Small Periwinkle — {Vinca minor.) 



Hedgebanks and shady places, rather uncommon. Right bank of 



the Irwell, below Clifton Aqueduct, plentiful. Hedges between Hoo 



Green and Bucklow Hill, plentiful. (Mrs. Brownell.) Fields about 



Haydock, plentiful. (Miss Alice Evans.) Little Hulton. (R. H.) 



Astley Green, and Mausolee Common, near Tyldesley. (J. E.) Wood 



near Marple Bridge, plentiful. Formerly on Kersal Moor. Fl, Spring 



and summer. 



Curtis, i. 101; E. B. xiii. 917. 



In hot-houses the Allamdnda cathartica, with large yellow bell-shaped flowers, 

 is now frequent, together witli the lovely Vinca rosea, a little upright periwinkle, 

 the petals of its flat and circular flowers of the purest white, excepting the eye or 

 centre, which is pink. The Nerium or Oleander, of the South of Europe, a 

 formidable poison, the Apocynum androscemijolmm and a few species of Echitet 

 and Stroplianthvs nearly complete the list of those in common cultivation. 



16 a 



