26 FLORA HISTORICA. 



The name of Hepatica for this plant is from the 

 Greek word hepatikos, which signifies belonging to 

 the liver, as the form of the leaf is supposed to 

 resemble that of the liver. 



It was formerly called Trinity Herb. We con- 

 clude this name was given to the plant on account 

 of its leaf, which has the appearance of three leaves 

 united into one. 



The Single Hepatica was cultivated in our 

 gardens previous to the time of Gerard, who also 

 notices the double varieties, but states that they 

 are strangers to England, and it does not appear 

 that the Dutch florists were in possession of the 

 Double Hepaticas so late as 1614. In 1629, Par- 

 kinson tells us from Clusius, that Alphonsus Pon- 

 tius first sent them out of Italy, and Clusius further 

 states that the Hepatica with double flowers was 

 also found in the woods near the castle of Starnbey, 

 in Austria. 



When flowers become double in their natural 

 situation, which is but rarely the case 5 it is owing 

 to some accidental circumstance analogous to 

 cultivation,— such as keeping the seed out of the 

 earth beyond its due time, or its falling in situa- 

 tions where it has not the power of perfecting its 

 blossoms ; for a flower becomes more imperfect as 

 it is more doubled, the stamens often becoming 

 wholly converted into petals, as in the Double 



