412 GENTIAN ACE.E. 



VINCA MfNOR (Lesser Periwinkle). 



2. V. minor (Lesser Periwinkle). Stem trailing, 

 sending up short, erect, leafy shoots, which bear the 

 flowers ; margins of the leaves not fringed. "Woods, 

 especially in the West of England, where it often 

 entirely covers the ground with its evergreen leaves. 

 It is much smaller than the last. A white variety 

 occurs in Devonshire, and in gardens it is often met 

 with bearing variegated leaves and double purple, blue, 

 or white flowers. Fl. March June. Perennial. 



ORD. LY. GENTIANACE^. THE GENTIAN TRIBE. 



Calyx usually 5-, sometimes 4 8-cleft, not falling 

 off ; corolla of one petal, its lobes equalling in number 

 those of the calyx, not falling off, twisted when in bud, 

 often fringed about the mouth of the tube ; stamens 

 equalling in number the lobes of the corolla, and alter- 

 nate with them ; ovary of 2 carpels, 1- or imperfectly 



