VIOLACEiE. 



Nat. syst. ed. 2. p. 63. 



VIOLA. 



Sepals 5, unequal, prolonged into appendages at the base. 

 Corolla unequal, 2-lipped, of 5 petals, the lower calcarate. Sta- 

 mens 5, hypogynous, syngenesious, unequal ; the 2 anterior 

 having anthers that are often calcarate. Capsule bursting with 

 elasticity, many-seeded, 3-valved. — Herbaceous plants. 



203. V. odorataZmrc. sp. pi. 1324. Eng. Bot. t. 619. DC. 

 prodr. i. 296. S. and C. i. t. 29. — Common in groves and 

 shady places all over the North of Europe and Asia, as far as 

 Japan. 



Runners flagelliform. Leaves roundish cordate. Sepals ovate 

 obtuse. Petals blue, or white, sweet scented ; spur very blunt. Stigma 

 hooked, naked. Capsules turgid, hairy. Seeds turbinate, pallid. — 

 Petals used as a laxative for children, one drachm of which operates 

 pretty freely ; the seeds possess similar properties; the root is emetic 

 and purgative. The aqueous tincture of the flowers is a useful chemi- 

 cal test : uncombined acids changing the blue to red and alkalis to 

 green. The Romans had a wine made of violet flowers, and it is said 

 they are still used in the preparations of the Grand Signior's sherbet. 

 By some the flowers are considered anodyne ; they certainly produce 

 faintness and giddiness in some constitutions as I have witnessed. Tril- 

 ler mentions a case in which they produced apoplexy. Pereira. 



204. V. canina Linn, sp.pl. 1324. Eng. Bot. t. 620. DC. 

 prodr. i. 298. — Woods, thickets and hedges all over Europe, 

 Japan, Persia, west coast of America and in the Canaries. 



Stem ascending, branched, smooth. Leaves cordate. Stipules acu- 

 minate, pectinate, finely lacerated. Peduncles smooth. Sepals subulate. 

 Stigma papillose, somewhat reflexed. Capsule lengthened, with acumi- 

 nate valves ; seeds pyriform, brown. — Considered a depurative, and 

 recommended for the removal of cutaneous affections. Root emetic. 



205. V. tricolor Linn, sp.pl. 1326. Fl. dan. t. 623. Eng. 

 Bot. t. 1287. DC. prodr. i. 303. — Fields all over Europe. 

 Northern Asia and North America. (Heartsease or Pansy.) 



Root somewhat fusiform. Stems branched, diffuse. Lower leaves 

 ovate-cordate; stipules runcinate, pinnatifid, with the middle lobe 

 crenated. Petals on short stalks ; spur thick, obtuse, not projecting. 

 Seeds oblong ovate. — When bruised the leaves smell like peach 

 kernels, hence they have been supposed to contain prussic acid. They 

 were once esteemed efficacious in the cure of cutaneous disorders, and 

 are still employed in Italy in tinea capitis. 

 97 h 



