﻿(158.) 



VI'NCA* * 



Linnean Class and Order. Pf.nta'ndria f, Monogy'nia. 



Natural Order. Apocy'nete, Juss. Gen. PI. p. 143. — Sm. 

 Gram, of Bot. p. 108. — Lindl. Syn. p. 176. ; Tntrod. to Nat. Syst. 

 of Bot. p. 213. — Rich, by Maegilliv. p. 445. — Loud. Hort. Brit. p. 

 525. — Syringai.es; subord. Primulos^: ; sect. Gentianjna; ; 

 type, Strychnaceas ; subtype, Apocynid^e ; Burn. Outl. of Bot. 

 pp. 900, 958, 1008, 1011, & 1012. — Contorts, Linn. 



Gen. Char. Calyx (fig. 1.) inferior, of 1 sepal, in 5 deep, up- 

 right, pointed, permanent segments. Corolla of 1 petal, salver- 

 shaped ; tube longer than the calyx, cylindrical in the lower part, 

 wider above, marked with 5 lines; and 5 angles at the mouth; 

 limb horizontal, in 5 deep, oblique, abrupt segments, attached to 

 the top of the tube, spirally imbricated in the bud. Filaments 

 (figs. 2 & 3.) 5, from the middle of the tube, short, doubly curved. 

 Anthers membranous, blunt, upright, incurved, bearing the pollen 

 at each lateral margin. Germens 2, superior, roundish, accom- 

 panied by 2 lateral roundish glands. Style (fig. 4.) 1, common 

 to both germens, cylindrical, shorter than the tube. Stigma 1, 

 capitate, seated on a flat orbicular disk. Follicles (fig. 5.) 2, cylin- 

 drical, acute, upright, bursting along one side. Seeds (fig. 6.) 

 several, oblong, cylindrical, furrowed, naked (destitute of seed- 

 down) . 



Distinguished from other genera in the same class and order, by 

 the salver-shaped corolla of 5 oblique segments, spirally imbri- 

 cated in the bud ; and the 2 upright follicles, each containing se- 

 veral naked seeds. 



Two species British. 



VI'NCA MAJOR. Greater Periwinkle. 



Spec. Char. Stems ascending. Leaves egg-shaped, fringed. 

 Flowers stalked. Segments of the calyx bristle-shaped, elongated, 

 ciliated. 



Engl. Bot. t. 514.— Curt. FI. Lond. t. 222. — Linn. Sp. PI. p. 304. — Iluds. FI. 

 Angl. (2nded.) p. 91.— Sm. FI. Brit. v. i. p.270. Engl. FI. v. i. p.339. — 

 With. (7th ed.) v. ii. p.341 — Gray’s Nat. Arr. v. ii. p.342. — Lindl. Syn. p. 170. — 

 Hook. Brit. FI. p. 98. — Sibth. FI. Oxon. p. 79. — Abbot’s FI. Bedf. p 53. — Purt 

 Midi. FI. v. i. p. 133. — Relh. FI. Cantab. (3rd ed.) p. 103.— Hook. FI. Scot. p. 

 82. — Grev. F’l. Edin. p. 57. — FI. Devon, pp. 44 & 153. — Walk. FI. of Oxf. p. 68. — 

 Perry’s PI. Varvic. Selects:, p. 23. — Bab. FI. Bath. p.30. — Mack. Catal. of PI. 

 of Irel. p. 25. — Clematis daphnoides major, Ray’s Syn. p. 268. — Johnson’s 

 Gerarde, p. 894. 



Localities. — In woods, thickets, and hedges. Rare. — Oxfordsh. In Mag- 

 dalen College Walks: Dr. SiBTHOitr, 1794. Plentiful in the same walks now, 

 1835; probably planted there originally, but now become naturalized : W. B. 

 By the side of the road near Long Handborough : G. Coles, Esq. Woodstock. — 

 Berks; In a hedge near Old Windsor: Mr. Gotobed. — Bedfordsh. Near Ra- 

 vensden; and Clapham : Rev. C. Abbot. — Bucks; In a hedge near Slough : 

 Mr. Gotobed. —Cambridgesli. NearGirton, Madingley, Coton, Whittlesford, 

 Histon, Rampton, and Bottisham : Rev. R. Relhan. — Derbysh. In Pleasly 



Fig. 1. Calyx. — Figs. 2 & 3. Stamens. — Fig. 4. Germen, Style, and Stigma. — 

 Fig. 5. Follicles. — Fig. 6. A Seed. — Fig. 7. Transverse section of ditto.— Fig. 8. 

 Embryo. 



* From vincio, to bind ; its runners trailing round other plants; or, from its 

 being used, in ancient times, to form the bridal zone which none but the bride- 

 groom was privileged to untie. t See Anchusa sempervirens, f. 48, n. f* 



