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each with a little projection, concealed in the sac or spur of the lower petal ; azthers 
adnate, 2-celled, the cells somewhat separated at the base, opening by a longitu- 
dinal introrse slit. Ovary sessile, ovoid, one-celled, with three parietal placente ; 
style terminal, various, usually declined ; stigma various. /yuit an ovoid, crusta- 
ceous or papyraceous, 3 valved, loculicidal capsule; seeds many, horizontal, and 
furnished with a distinct wart-like excrescence at the hilum, raphe apparent; a/bu- 
men fleshy ; eméryo straight, situated in the axis. 
This description essentially includes the two genera /onzdum (solea) and Viola 
of the northern United States; in the tropics many plants of this order are shrubby. 
The genus /onidum contains the Brazilian Poaya da Praja (Jonidum Ipecacuanha, 
A. de St. H.; 7. /tubu, H BK.; Viola [tubu, Aubl.; Pombatia Ttubu, DC.) ; the 
Poaya do campo (/onidum Poaya.); the Chimborazian Cuichunchulli (oxedum 
microphyllum, H BK.) noted as a supposed specific for the “mal de San Lazaro” 
or Elephantiasis tuberculata; and the Chilian purgative Maytensillo (/omidum 
parviflorum, Linn.), the roots of which are stated by Lindley to bear in appearance 
and properties a great similarity to Ipecacuanha. 
History and Habitat.—The wild pansy has become naturalized in this country 
from Europe, growing here in dry, sandy soils, from New York westward to Illi- 
nois and southward, blossoming northward from April until the summer months. 
The varieties of this plant in cultivation are innumerable, affording some of the 
most beautiful of our garden-plants; the principal changes in cultivation are in the 
size and colors of the flowers, varying, as they now do, from pure white to silver, 
gold, bronze, and jet-black, with admixtures in immense variety. The use of the 
pansy in medicine dates far back in ancient medication, the first real experimenta- 
tion with the plant is that of Starck in 1776, who wrote “ De crusta lactea infantum 
ejusdemgue remedis dissertatio, etc.” in that year; the provings substantiate this 
use of the plant and show it to be useful in other forms of impetigo. Its use in 
some forms of burrowing ulcers, tinea capitis and scabies is also sanctioned by 
the provings. 
The plant is mentioned in the U.S. Ph. and the Eclectic Materia Medica. 
Part Used and Preparation.—The whole plant, gathered while in flower, should 
be chopped and pounded to a pulp and weighed; then two parts by weight of 
alcohol taken, the pulp thoroughly mixed with one-sixth part of it, and the rest of 
the alcohol added. The whole should be well mixed, poured into a well-stoppered 
bottle, and allowed to stand at least eight days in a dark, cool place. 
The tincture, separated by filtering, should have an orange-brown color by 
transmitted light, a cucumber-like odor, rich, sweet taste, and strong acid reaction. 
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS.— Volin;* this acrid, bitter principle, bearing 
in its properties a close resemblance to emetia,t was extracted by Boullay from 
Viola adorata; it is found also in Viola tricolor and var. arvensis as well as in 
* Violia, Violine. + Alkaloid of Cephelis [pecacuanha. 
