60 THE FLORA OF THE ALPS 



seeded follicles ; seeds often with a tuft of silky hairs ; 

 leaves opposite, entire. A large order, chiefly of tropical 

 and sub-tropical trees and shrubs with a milky juice ; the 

 European species are very few ; none are alpine. 



I. ViNCA, L. 



Stem decumbent ; flowers large, solitary, axillary, blue 

 or white; style terminating in a pencil-like brush. 



V. minor, L., Lesser Periwinkle; shady places, fre- 

 quent. V. major, L., Larger Periwinkle ; Pyrenees, 

 naturalised in Southern Switzerland. 



Order LIV. ASCLEPIADE^. 



Flowers regular; calyx 5-toothed; corolla 5-lobed ; 

 stamens usually 5, united into a column round the stigma ; 

 pollen coherent into a pollinium in each anther-lobe ; ovary 

 2-celled, the carpels connate above ; seed-vessel a pair of 

 follicles, with numerous seeds clothed with silky hairs ; 

 leaves opposite, entire. A large order, chiefly of tropical 

 and sub-tropical trees and shrubs with a milky juice ; the 

 number of European species is small; none are truly 

 alpine. 



i. CYNANCHUM, L. 



Corolla rotate, 5-lobed, with five internal scales; stigma 

 apiculate. 



C. Vincetoxicum, R. Br. (Vincetoxicum officinale, 

 Mcench.) ; flowers small, yellowish-white, in axillary 

 clusters of 2-3, stem erect, middle leaves cordate-ovate ; 

 rocky woods, frequent. 



