Vinca minor
Common periwinkle
Vinca minor, commonly known as periwinkle, is a versatile evergreen groundcover prized for its glossy leaves and delicate blue flowers. Beyond its ornamental beauty in gardens, this medicinal plant has a long history in traditional herbalism, often utilized for its purported properties in supporting circulation and cognitive health.
- Scientific name: Vinca minor
- Family: Apocynaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Gentianales, it is classified under the family Apocynaceae and is identified by the genus Vinca.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Gentianales | WCVP |
| Family | Apocynaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Vinca | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Vinca minor, is recognized by various common names across different Chinese linguistic regions. In Simplified Chinese, it is referred to as 小蔓长春花 (zh-hans, zh-cn, zh-sg), while in Traditional Chinese, it is known as 小蔓長春花 (zh-hant, zh-hk).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 小蔓长春花 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 小蔓長春花 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 小蔓長春花 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 小蔓长春花 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 小蔓长春花 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 小蔓長春花 | Wikidata |
| pl | barwinek pospolity | Wikidata |
| wa | Pitite vintche | Wikidata |
| fr | Petite pervenche | Wikidata |
| hu | kis meténg | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is widely distributed across several regions within Northern Europe. Its presence can be observed throughout the various landscapes of Denmark and Great Britain. In the western reaches of the continent, it is also found growing in Ireland. Moving further north, the species inhabits the rugged terrains of Norway. Finally, its geographical range extends through the expansive territories of Sweden.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Denmark | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Norway | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Sweden | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Belgium | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Hungary | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as periwinkle, is a low-growing evergreen characterized by its spreading habit and glossy leaves. While the foliage and small, five-petaled flowers are the most visually striking features, the underground structure is also significant. The plant develops a system of roots that can be described as having hairy roots, which assist in anchoring the stems to the soil and facilitating the absorption of essential nutrients and water from the ground.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| hairy roots | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Vinca minor has 23 reported phytochemicals identified across 28 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include vincamine, vincaminoreine, acetic anhydride, akuammidine, akuammine.
- Total chemicals
- 23
- Scientific sources
- 28
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| vincamine | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| vincaminoreine | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| acetic anhydride | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| akuammidine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| akuammine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| apparicine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| chlorogenic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hydrogen peroxide | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| loganin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| minovincine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Vinca minor has 8 reported activities identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Neuroprotective, Antidiabetic, Antimicrobial, Cytotoxic.
- Total activities
- 8
- Scientific sources
- 10
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Neuroprotective | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hypotensive | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Nootropic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Vasodilator | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Vinca minor has 9 reported medicinal uses identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Parkinson's disease, antidiabetic, antioxidant, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases.
- Total uses
- 9
- Scientific sources
- 9
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Parkinson's disease | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| atherosclerosis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cardiovascular diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hypertension | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ischemic heart disease | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| neurodegenerative diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| nootropic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |