Per"i*win`kle (?), n. [From AS.
pinewincla a shellfish, in which pine- is fr. L.
pina, pinna, a kind of mussel, akin to Gr. &?;. Cf.
Winkle.] (Zoöl.) Any small marine gastropod
shell of the genus Littorina. The common European species
(Littorina littorea), in Europe extensively used as food, has
recently become naturalized abundantly on the American coast. See
Littorina.
&fist; In America the name is often applied to several large
univalves, as Fulgur carica, and F. canaliculata.
Per"i*win`kle, n. [OE. pervenke,
AS. pervince, fr. L. pervinca.] (Bot.) A
trailing herb of the genus Vinca.
&fist; The common perwinkle (Vinca minor) has opposite
evergreen leaves and solitary blue or white flowers in their axils. In
America it is often miscalled myrtle. See under
Myrtle.