VINCA 661 



propagated with the greatest ease by means of cuttings a few inches long, 

 or by taking up old patches and dividing them. The parts of the calyx 

 and corolla are in fives, the latter consisting of a basal tubular part and 

 broad, horizontally expanding lobes. Flowers solitary in the leaf-axils. 

 Leaves opposite. V. major is sometimes attacked by a parasitic fungus 

 which turns the leaves yellow and ultimately kills them. 



V. DIFFORMIS, Pourret. 



(Bot. Mag. t. 8506 ; V. media, Link ; V. acutiflora, Bertolini.") 



A trailing sub-shrubby plant in Britain usually dying back in winter, 

 probably evergreen in S. Europe, of spreading growth, quite smooth in leaf 

 and stem. Leaves ovate, broadly wedge-shaped or rounded at the base, 

 more tapered towards the apex; i^ to 3 ins. long, f to 2 ins. wide; entire, 

 rich green on both surfaces, but rather paler beneath; stalk i to ^ in. long. 

 Flowers solitary in the leaf-axils, produced in November and December on 

 stalks i to i^ ins. long. Corolla i^ ins. across, very pale lilac-blue, the 

 lobes obovate or rather rhomboidal, pointed; calyx-lobes awl-shaped, in. 

 long. Fruit awl-shaped, ii ins. long. 



Native of S.W. Europe and N. Africa. It resembles V. major in general 

 appearance, but is easily distinguished by the absence of hairs on stem and 

 leaf-margin and by the non-ciliate sepals. It is not so hardy as V. major, 

 but thrives well in Canon Ellacombe's garden at Bitton. At Kew it flowers 

 too late to expand properly out-of-doors, but taken up and put under glass 

 provides a continuous display during the darkest months of the year. 



V. MAJOR, Linnceus. LARGER PERIWINKLE. 



An evergreen shrub whose barren stems are long and trailing, its 

 flowering ones erect and I to 2 ft. high, smooth except for a few dark 

 bristles at the joints. Leaves opposite, ovate, i to 3 ins. long, half to 

 two-thirds as wide, pointed, dark green, glossy on both surfaces, smooth, 

 but edged with minute hairs; stalk \ to \ in. long. Flowers bright blue, 

 solitary in the leaf-axils on a slender stalk i to 2 ins. long; corolla i^ ins. 

 across, the base a funnel-shaped tube spreading at the mouth into five deep, 

 broadly obovate lobes; calyx-lobes five, narrowly linear, nearly \ in. long, 

 with hairs on the margin. Fruit smooth, awl-shaped, long-pointed, i^ to 

 2 ins. long. 



Native of Central and S. Europe eastward to the Caucasus. It is 

 seemingly wild in parts of England, but from the fact that it rarely perfects 

 its seed, a doubtful native. Useful for growing in semi-shaded positions 

 where it makes pleasant ground cover, but not flowering so well there as in 

 the full sun. The first flowers appear in May and continue until September. 

 It should be trimmed over annually in spring, cutting away the old growths. 

 Distinct from V. minor in its large, broad-based, often heart-shaped leaves, 

 and from V. difformis in its ciliate leaves and calyx-lobes. 



V. MINOR, Linnceus. LESSER PERIWINKLE. 



An evergreen trailing shrub rarely more than 6 ins. above the ground, 

 forming in time a dense mat; stems smooth, wiry. Leaves oval, or slightly 

 obovate, always tapered at the base; f to 2 ins. long, \ to f in. wide; quite 

 smooth and of a deep glossy green on both sides. Flowers i in. across, 



