VIOLAGEJE. 353 



as curing chronic skin affections. Binorea presents but slightly 

 different properties. R. castanecefoliaf Ouspa? and physiphora? of 

 South America, are regarded as bitter and astringent ; their bark is 

 a febrifuge. The leaves of It. johysiphora (figs. 35S-362) are eaten 

 as a vegetable. Sauvagesia erectq 4 (figs. 370-375) is the Herbe Saint- 

 Martin of the inhabitants of French Guiana ; 5 it is used as mucila- 

 ginous and astringent in cases of ophthalmia and diarrhoea. In the 

 Antilles it is employed as a diuretic and antiphlogistic, especially in 

 affections of the urinary channels and of the digestive tube. Our 

 common Violets and Pansies are considered depurative ; they are par- 

 ticularly recommended for skin affections. They contain violine, 

 an alkaline principle, bitter, acrid, nauseous, and even poisonous. 6 

 If Herbe dela Trinite, or Viola tricolor 7 (figs. 367-369), and its variety 

 arvensis, better known by the name of wild Pansy, is always used in 

 preparing purifying drinks. 8 A large quantity of Violet flowers are 

 consumed in Europe, which often comprise, besides those of V. odo- 

 rata, those of V. canina, sylvestris, Ziirta, 9 tricolor, &c. The seeds of 

 V. odorata are purgative, and formerly formed part of double catho- 

 licon ; its petals are laxative, and are sometimes given to children as 

 an aperient. 10 They are especially valued for the dye and coloured 

 syrup prepared from them, and formerly used as reagents of acids 

 and alkalies in the chemist's laboratory ; still more so for their 

 delicious perfume, on account of which they are much prized for 

 making bouquets, for the extraction of a precious essence, the 

 preparations of bonbons, aromatic pastes, and slightly pectoral 



1 Alsodeia castaneafolia Spreng. (ex Ro- 

 SEXTH., op. cit., 661). — Cohonoria castanece- 



folia A. S. H. 



2 Alsodeia Citspa Spreng. — Cohonoria 

 Cttspa H. E. K. 



3 Alsodeia physiphora R. Be., in Herb. 

 Banks; Congo, 21. — Conohoria Loboloho 

 A. S. H. — Physiphora laevigata Soland., in 

 Herb. Banks. — DC, Prodr., i. 314. 



4 L., Spec, 241 (nee Spreng.) — Jacq., 

 Amer., 11, t. 51, fig. 3.— W., Spec, i. 11S5.— 

 R. & Pay., Fl, Per., iii. 11.— H. B. K., Nov. 

 Gen. et Spec, v. 389.— A. S. H., PL Pern. 

 Bres., 63, t. 3 a; in Mem. Mas., iii. 215; xi. 

 102.— DC, Prodr., i. 315, n. 2 — LlND!., Fl. 

 Med., 99; Veg. Kingd.,M"$. — Endl., Enchvrid., 

 479. — Rosekth., op. cit., 663. — 8. Adyma 

 Aube ., Guian., t. 100. — £. nutans Pers. — S. 

 peruviana RffiM. & Sch., Syst. v. 437. 



6 It seems to bear the same name in Pern. 



VOL. IV. 



It is also the Adinia of the Galibes and the 

 Yoaba of the Caribbees. 



6 BOULLAT, in Mem. Acad. Med., i. 417.— 

 M£r. & Del., Diet. Mat. Med., vi. 905. 



7 See p. 343, not. 2. Lindl., Fl. Med., 97.— 

 A. Rich., Elem., ed. 4, ii. 71. — Guib., Drog. 

 Simpl., ed. 6, iii. 665.— Moq., Bot. Med., 38, 

 fig. 6. — R£v., in Bot. Med. du xix c Steele, iii. 

 40, t. 3. 



8 The Pansies have hitherto been considered 

 as alexipharmie, and in the United States it is 

 said F. ovata Ntrrr. (Gen., i. 148; DC, 

 Prodr., n. 13), is a remedy for bite of the rattle- 

 snake. 



9 L., Spec, 1324.— Sm., Fl. Brit., 244.— 

 DC, Prodr., n. 25. — Rosenth., op. cit., 658. 



10 The bruised leaves of several Violas, espe- 

 cially Viola tricolor, have the odour of peach- 

 stones ; whence the tolerably widely-spread idea 

 that they contained eyanbydiie acid. 



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