Vinca major or minor?
- Subject: Vinca major or minor?
- From: p*@att.net
- Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2002 05:43:57 +0000
Thank you for your several replies to my question about Vinca. I found all of
them very interesting. They leave me with more or less the same impression that
I had, which was that the identity of the ancient vinca used for wreaths is
rather unclear. Sometimes I can't believe that I am not overlooking something
obvious that would answer a question, and then it helps if others can't answer
it readily either.
Anthony Lyman-Dixon, thank you for digging in the classical literature. I had
read a few quotes which left me thinking the matter was confused there, and you
confirmed that. It is true, the Medieval illustrations of Vinca look like V.
minor, but then the herbals speak of V. major as the main herb. Maybe the
native one is what people saw, but the exotic one from Rome was thought to be
THE one to use as an herb.
Incidentally, Albert Magnus says to "beate unto pouder with worms of ye earth
wrapped about it and with an herb called hous lyke" [sempervivum I guess]
and "it induceth love between man and wyfe if it be used in their meales."
Hmm. I notice a number of modern popular writers leave out the worms of ye
earth part when they mention this particular charm.
I was also interested to hear from Anthony Green that Vinca major is the one
now much more common in at least part of Italy. Yes, I suppose it could have
been the more rampant of the two since then, but if Vinca minor were the most
common one before, you would expect it to be at least rather common now.
Moira, yes, I found myself assuming it was V. major, and then I was thinking
about how fast it wilts as opposed to the more sturdy V. minor, and thought
maybe it wouldn't be a good wreath plant. But if it were the only kind one
had...
Any other reports from Italy or any other thoughts still welcome.
Pam Peirce
