VIOLA — VIOLET. 91) 



Annual, biennial, or short-lived perennial, with short vootstock and 

 erect, angular, branching, leafy stem. Leaves narrowly oblong, ovate or 

 cordate, obtuse, slightly crenate ; stipules large, leaf-hke, deeply divided 

 into several linear or oblong lobes. 



HabUal. — A native of Europe, the pansy has long been cultivated here 

 as an ornamental plant, and is familiar to every one as a florist's flower. It 

 has escaped from cultivation and become, to some extent, naturalized. In- 

 deed, some authorities believe that a variety of the species is indigenous. 

 When growing without cultivation it rapidly deteriorates in size but gains 

 as regards its medicinal activity, and hence the uncultivated plant only is 

 official. 



Favts Used. — Of Viola tricolor, the herb. — Tainted Slates Fharmacopceia. 

 The other species are not official, though V. pedata was so at one time, the 

 rhizome being employed. 



Co^^Htituents. — Very little is known of the constituents of the species 

 of ts here described. An allied species, V. odorata, of Eurojie, has 



yielux. . to analysis an alLaioid — viuUii — analogous to emelin.' All the 

 species are mucilaginous and emollient, but beyond this, and the fact just 

 stated regarding V. odorata, their constituents are 3'et to be investigated. 



Frepamtions. — None are official. They are chiefly employed in decoc- 

 tion, though there is a commercial fluid extract of V. tricolor. 



Medical Properties and Uses. — All species of the violet subjected to ex- 

 periment appear to be emetic and cathartic when administered in consider- 

 able doses. Their nauseating properties jn'obably depend upon the pres- 

 ence of violin ; and to this and the mucilaginous property' also existing 

 is doubtless due their expectorant effect when administered in bronchial 

 and pulmonary affections. At present, however, little use is made of them. 

 The sweet violet of Europe is employed there in the preparation of a syinip, 

 which is used chiefly as a vehicle on account of its beautiful color and 

 agreealjle ( doi\ 



Quite recently Dr. Piffiird called attention to the value of viola tricolor 

 as a remedy in criista lactea, for which it was much used in Europe years 

 ago. Owing to his recommendation of the plant many other physicians 

 have subjected it to experiment, among them the writer, who, though less 

 enthusiastic in his praise of it than Dr. Piffiird, feels sure that it exerts a 

 remedial influence upon this troublesome disease. 



CISTACE/E. 



Cha icter of the Order. — Shrubs or herbs, often viscid. Sepals 5, un- 

 equal, persistent, the outer two often small and bract-like, sometimes want- 

 ing • the inner thr:^e larger and somewhat twisted in the bud. Petals 5, 

 equal, hypogynous, very fugitive, crumpled in the bud, and twisted in a 



' See Raliuesque, vol. ii. , p. 275. 



