THE PERIWINKLE. 71 



space some ten or twelve yards long and five or six yards 

 broad seems to be the exclusive property of this striking 

 plant, its hundreds of expanded blossoms making quite a 

 grand display in the spring and early summer. The plant 

 is a perennial one, and retains its leaves throughout the 

 winter; hence, if a locality for it be once known, it may at 

 any time be discovered. The leaves are sometimes met 

 with having streaks of lighter green upon the dark rich 

 colour that is characteristic of the foliage. Such varieties 

 are, however, accidental, and comparatively rare. The 

 plant seldom, if ever, ripens its seed a fact that the 

 opponents of its claim to be indigenous point to in con- 

 firmation of their opinion; and, as in other and more 

 southern countries it does so, they have so far a point in 

 their favour, though the fact is by no means a conclusive 

 one. The plant propagates itself by its long trailing and 

 rooting sterns, and by their means not only extends itself 

 rapidly in every direction, but manages to gain an almost 

 exclusive possession of the soil, since little or nothing 

 else can maintain its ground against the dense mass 

 of matted stems, that deprive all weaker plants of light 

 and air. The leaves, as will be noticed in our plate, 

 are always placed in pairs upon the stem, while the 

 flowers grow singly from their axils. The calyx is deeply 

 cut. 



Though not recognised as having any healing value 

 in the materia medico, of the regular practitioner, an 

 ointment prepared from the leaves of the periwinkle is 

 largely employed by country housewives. It is reputed 

 to be both soothing and healing in all inflammatory 

 ailments of the skin, though the order to which it belongs 

 includes many species, mostly tropical, that have distinctly 



