204. 
The  BoR TTT 6° eh Berk B ACL. 
Dil VIS1ON 1. 
1. Common Violet. 
Vicla purpurea vulgaris. 
The root is long, flender, crooked, and fur- 
nifhed with numerous fibres. 
The leaves are large, and they rife many to- 
gether from the head of the root, and with them 
rife feveral flender ftalks, that, lying upon the 
ground, take root, and {pread the plant abun- 
dantly. ; 
The leaves are broad, fhort, and roundifh, 
but heart-fafhioned at the bafe: they are of a 
deep green, flightly crenated at the edges, and 
fupported on long, flender footftalks. 
Among thefe rife numerous, flender, weak, 
and naked ftalks; on each of which ftands a 
fingle flower. : 
This is large, of a deep, beautiful blue, and 
of an extremely fweet fmell. 
The feed-veffel is large, and the feeds are nu- 
merous and oval. 
It is common under hedges, and -flowers early 
in fpring. 
C, Bauhine calls it Viola martia purpurea flore 
Jimplici odoro. Others, Viola nigra vel purpurea, 
and Viola martia fimplex. 
This is the fpecies whofe flowers fhould be 
ufed, and no other: they are cooling, emollient, 
and gently cathartick ; as they lofe a great part 
of their virtue in drying, and are not to be had’ 
frefh, except in fpring, the beft method of ufing 
them is in the form of a fyrup. 
This, when carefully made, is very pleafant, 
and has all the virtues of the flowers. It is ex- 
cellent, mixed with oil, to keep children open; 
and, in the fame form, it may be given with 
great fuccefs againft habitual coftivenefs in grown 
perfons; taking a fmall dofe every night. 
It is alfo good in coughs and hoarfenefies. 
The feeds, dried and powdered, work gently 
by ftool and urine. Lhey are excellent in the 
gravel, and in nephritick complaints in general. 
The leaves are emollient, and ufed in decoc- 
tions for glyfters. Too large a dofe of the feeds 
will occafion vomiting. 
Many authors have defcribed what they call 
the white flowered violet as a diftinct fpecies from 
the common; but this is an error. We fee 
many plants whofe flowers, though naturally co- 
loured, will become white when they are ftarved ; 
and this is the cafe in the white violet: its feeds 
will raife blue violets, in a garden. 
2. Dogs Violet. 
Viola foliis oblongis caulefcens. 
The root is very long, flender, divided, and 
furnifhed with long, crooked fibres. 
The firft leaves are numerous, and of a dufky 
green: they are fupported on long, flender foot- 
ftalks, and are fmaller than thofe of the commoy 
violet, and narrower in proportion to the length : 
they are heart-fafhioned at the bafe, and notched 
round the edges. 
BRITISH SPECIES 
Amongft thefe rife feveral {mall ftalks, which 
take root where they touch the ground, but grow 
up from it to two or three inches in height, and 
have many leaves on them, like thofe from the 
root, but fmaller. ; : 
The flowers ftand fingly on long, flender foot- 
ftalks that rife from the root, or from thofe parts 
of the ftalk juft named, which have taken root : 
they have ufually fome little films upon them, 
but no Jeaves, properly fo called. 
The flower refembles that of the common violet, 
but it is fmaller, of a paler blue, and has no 
fmell. 
It is common under hedges, and flowers in ~ 
April. 
C. Baukine calls it Viola inodora fylveftris, 
Others, Viola fylveftris, and Viola canina. 
This is fometimes found with a white flower, 
as the other; and fome have defcribed it in that 
ftate as a diftinct {pecies. 
3- Dwarf Violet with a yellow fpur. 
Viola pumila calcari luteo. 
The root is fmall, oblong, and divided; and - 
has numerous, flender fibres. 
The leaves that rife firft from it have fhort 
footftalks: they are fmall, rounded, and of a 
dufky green; very flightly fnip’d at the edges, 
and fcarce at all cordated at the bafe: this form 
they conftantly keep, and the fpecies is therefore 
plainly diftiné. 
The ftalk is flender, upright, and of a pale 
green; and at the top fuftains a fingle flower: 
this is large in proportion to the plant, and is of 
a beautiful deep blue, with a yellow fpur behind. 
The feed-veflel is oval, and the feeds are nu- 
merous and alfo oval. 
It is not uncommon in Surry and Suffex. It 
flowers in April. : 
Ray calls it Viola canina minor floris calcari 
luteo. d 
4. Round fmooth-leaved Violet. 
Viola foliis rotundioribus glabris. 
The root is long, flender, and furnifhed with 
numerous fibres. ‘ 
The leaves rife in a confiderable tuft, and they 
are fhorter than in the preceding fpecies, and ob- 
tufe at the ends; fo that they appear roundifh ; 
they are of a deep green colour, and per:2ctly 
fmooth. ; 
The flowers ftand on fingle foorftalks, which 
are weak, flender, and five or fix inches high: 
they are of a pale blue, of the fhape of. the com- 
mon violet, but very {mall, and wholly fcentlefs. 
The feed-veffel is {mall and oval; and the | 
feeds are fmall. 
It was obferved firft in Oxfordthire, but ig 
grows all over the north of England on bogey 
grounds. It flowers in June. ie 
; Dr. Plot, who firft defcribed the fpecies, calls 
it Viola paluftris rotundifolia glabra, 
4 5» Short- 
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