West Highland Flora

Lesser Periwinkle


Vinca minor

 

Vinca minor

Photo © David Fenwick
Wild Flowers of the Plymouth Area
20 Aug 2004 Plymouth

An introduced shrub occasionally found carpeting the ground in woods or abandoned gardens.

Flower diameter c 25-30 mm

ID: Asymmetrical shape of petals unique, apart from V difformis and V major, which have similar flowers and are sometimes grown in gardens and may escape.  V difformis has larger (30-45 mm across) paler flowers with more obliquely cut petals, so appearing more asymmetrical.  V major has the leaf-margins minutely hairy, the other two do not.

Other features: Leaves evergreen, looking rather like Privet.  Flower colour sometimes paler and/or mauver than in pic on left.  Non-flowering stems root at tips.

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