62 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



GENUS 7.— V I N C A. Linn. 



Calyx persistent, 5-partite, with slender segments. Corolla 

 salver - shaped ; tube elongated, funnelshaped - cylindrical ; liinh 

 5-partite, with oblique flat spreading divisions, twisted in bud ; tbe 

 throat 5-angled, without scales. Stamens 5, included ; filaments 

 not monadelphous, bent at the base, dilated at the apex ; anthers 

 2-celled, incumbent on the stigma. Style single, enlarged at the 

 apex, with a stigmatiferous ring below the apex. Fruit of 2 sub- 

 cylindrical follicles, or by abortion of only 1. Seeds several, 

 without a tuft of hairs. 



Decumbent under-shrubs or herbs, with opposite entire leaves, 

 and solitary axillary blue or purplish (varying to white) flowers, 

 on slender peduncles. 



The derivation of the name of this genus seems to be from vincio, I bind, on 

 account of its long running shoots, which entwine all objects within their reach. 



SPECIES I.-VINCA MAJOR. Linn. 

 Plate DCCCCV. 



Reich. Ic. PL Germ, et Helv. Vol. XVII. Tab. MLXIII. Fig. 3. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 1037. 



Sterile stems prostrate, not rooting except at tbe apex ; flow- 

 ering ones erect when in flower, afterwards elongating and pro- 

 cumbent. Leaves evergreen, shortly stalked, ovate, abrupt or 

 subcordate at the base, slightly acuminate, entire, ciliated on 

 the margins. Flowers solitary, axillary, on peduncles shorter 

 than the leaves. Calyx-segments linear-subulate, ciliated, nearly 

 as long as the tube of the corolla. 



In hedges and bushy places. Rather thinly but widely dis- 

 tributed over England and the southern half of Scotland, hut 

 doubtless planted, though perfectly naturalized. 



[England, Scotland.] Shrub. Summer. 



Stems scarcely shrubby, but not dying down in winter, so that 

 it cannot be called herbaceous, sub-erect while in flower, after- 

 wards prostrate, as well as the long barren shoots which are pro- 

 duced in autumn and take root at the end of their annual growth ; 

 from this rooting point flowering-stems are sent up in spring. 

 Leaves shortly stalked, 2 to 1 inches long. Flowers few, on pedicels 



