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104 ODOROGRAPHIA. 
CHAPTER V. 
THE ODOUR OF VIOLET. 
VIOLET. 
Viola odorata, Linn. A native im groves and hedges almost 
throughout the whole of Europe ; it is also found in Siberia, China, 
and Japan. 
There are nine distinct varieties of V. odorata, all finely 
scented :— 
Var. a. vulgaris (DeCandolle) ; flowers deep-purple or purp- 
lish-blue, pale and streaked in the mouth. The flowers 
of this plant impart their colour and flavour to aqueous 
liquors; a syrup made from the infusion has long been 
used as an agreeable and useful laxative for children. 
The infusion is also valued as a delicate test for the 
presence of uncombined acids or alkalies, the former 
changing its blue to a red; the latter to a green. 
Var. b. cerulea (Sweet) ; blue flowers. 
Var. c. purpureo-plena (Sweet) ; flowers double, purple. 
Var. d. ceruleo-plena (Sweet) ; flowers double, blue. 
Var. e. pallido-plena (Sweet); flowers double, pale blue. 
This variety is commonly called Neapolitan Violet. 
Var. f. alba (DeCandolle); flowers white. Very plentiful 
in Surrey. 
Var. g. albo-plena (Sweet) ; flowers double, white. 
Var. h. variegata (DeCandolle) ; flowers variegated. 
Var. 7. cornuta; all the petals horned. 
The habit of growth of all these varieties is trailing; other 
species are found of the same habit of growth and sweet-scented, 
