SWEET VIOLET 17 



Columbine is from the Latin columba, pigeon, in allusion to the 

 shape of the flower. Aquilegia, a name given by Tragus, is from 

 aqiiila, an eagle, the spur of the corolla being like an eagle's claw. 

 Vulgaris means common, though it is rather rare. Its English names 

 are Blue Starry, Boots -and -shoes, Capon's -feather, Capon's -tail, 

 Cock's -foot, Colourbine, Cullavine, Culverkeys, Culverwort, Curran- 

 bine, Dove's-foot, Granny's Night-cap, Hawk's-feet, Hen and 

 Chickens, Lady's Shoes, 

 Lady's Slippers, Snapdragon, 

 Sowdwort, Two Faces under 

 a Hat. 



Culverkeys is given in 

 allusion to the shape, like a 

 cloor or culver, culver being 

 columbe, and the little flowerets 

 little keys (compare also Cul- 

 verwort). It was once known 

 as Herba leonis, and believed 

 to be the lion's favourite plant. 



In the fourteenth century 

 it was recommended as a 

 remedy for quinsy. Then a 

 tincture of it was employed 

 to strengthen the gums. The 

 plant has long been cultivated 

 in the garden, and is a de- 

 lightful flower. 



ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: 



13. Aquilegia V2ilgaris, L. Stem with few leaves, leaf biternate, 

 lobed, flower blue or white, 5 sepals petaloid, spur of petal incurved 

 containing honey, limb shorter than stamens, capsule a follicle, hairy. 



COLUMBINE (Aquilegia vulgaris, L.) 



Sweet Violet (Viola odorata, L.) 



This plant has not been discovered in any ancient deposits in which 

 seeds of living plants are preserved. At the present day it is found in 

 Europe, North Africa, North and West Asia, as far as the Himalayas. 

 In Great Britain it is absent from Radnor, Cardigan, in S. Wales; in 

 N. Wales it occurs only in Carnarvon, Flint, Denbigh, and Anglesea; 

 in the Mersey province it is absent in Mid Lanes; and is found also in 

 Scotland in Dumfries, Kirkcudbright, Renfrew, Peebles, Selkirk, Rox- 



VOL. III. 32 



