Description. The common sort hereof has many branches trailing or running upon the ground, shooting out small fibres at the joints as it runs, taking thereby hold is the ground, and roots in divers places. At the joints of these branches stand two small, dark, green, shining leaves, somewhat like bay-leaves, but smaller, and with them come forth also the flowers (one at a joint) standing upon a tender foot-stalk, being somewhat long and hollow, parted at the brims, sometimes into four, sometimes into five leaves: the most ordinary sorts are of a pale blue colour; some are pure white, and some of a dark reddish purple colour. The root is little bigger than a rush, bushing in the ground and creeping with his branches far about, whereby it quickly possesses a great compass, and is therefore most usually planted under hedges where it may have room to run.
Place. Those with the pale blue, and those with the white flowers, grow in woods and orchards, by the hedge-sides, in divers parts of this country; but those with the purple flowers in gardens only.
Time. They flower in March and April.
Government and virtues. Venus owns this herb, and says, that the leaves eaten by man and wife together, cause love between them. The periwinkle is a great binder, stays bleeding both at mouth and nose, if some of the leaves be chewed. The French use it to stay women's courses. It is a good female medicine, and may be used with advantage in hysteric and other fits.
There is something pleasing to cats in the smell of this plant, and it is a matter of no small difficulty to keep them out of a place where any of it grows. An infusion of the plant is an excellent medicine in suppressions of the menses, so also is the expressed juice, and may be taken to the quantity of two ounces for a dose. It is good in nervous disorders; and the young tops made into a conserve, are serviceable in that troublesome complaint, the night-marc.
The small periwinkle, or vinea minor, possesses the same virtues, and may very properly supply the place of the other, where that cannot be found.