206 The 
BRITISH HERBAL, 
Thefe are all the fpecies of wild violet! Others 
have been named by lefs accurate writers, but on 
a better examination they have been found only _ 
varieties of one or other of the former fpecies, 
Thefe all are fuppofed to poffefs the fame vir- 
DIV 1S 1-0.N <I 
1. Fingered-leaved Violet. 
Viola foliis digitatis. 
This is of the common viclet, not of the panfy 
kind, though extremely fingular in the leaf. 
The root is compofed of numerous fibres, 
rifing from a {mall head. 
The leaves are fupported on long, flender, 
Tedith footitalks, and are broad, and divided in 
the fingered or palmated manner, each into 
about five parts: thefe fegments ftand wide 
afunder: they are flightly notched at the edges, 
and the two outer pieces are broader than the 
others. 
The whole leaf is fmall, and ics colour is a 
pale green. 
The ftalks which fupport the flowers rife 
among the leaves; they are weak, flender, and 
about three inches high. ; 
One flower ftands on each, and this is {mall 
and white. © 
The feed-veftel is fhort, and full of {mall feeds. 
There is little beauty in the plant; but it is 
extremely fingular. 
It isa native of North America, and flowers 
in April. 
Plukenet calls it Viole Virginiana platanifolia 
foliis parvis. 
There fometimes are running thoots from the 
root, as in the common violet. 
2. Seven-leaved Violet, 
Viola foliis feptempartitis. 
The root is long, flender, crooked, and fur- 
nifhed with many fibres, 
The leaves rife in a large tuft, and each is 
fupported on a long, flender footftalk : they are 
large, and divided into feven parts down to 
the ftalk: thefe fegments are narrow, and ftand 
fo perfectly feparate that the name of Jeven- 
leaved feems hardly éxceptionable, though, in 
reality, thefe which appear to be feparate leaves | 
are no other than the feven fegments of one en- 
tire leaf. 
The ftalks which fupport the flowers rife in. 
numbers from the root, in the manner of the 
common violet. They are fhort, flender, and each 
fupports a fingle flower, 
This is large and beautifal ; fometimes of one 
colour, which is a rich, deep blue, but oftener 
variegated; fo that it feems a panfy growing 
in the manner of the common violet. 
It is a native of Vir 
April. 
Plukenet calls it Vola 
multifidis cauliculo aphyllo. 
ginia, and flowers in 
Virginiana tricolor foljis 
FOREIGN 
tues with the common kind, but in a lefs degree ; 
and therefore they are not to be regarded. 
The flowers of the pan/y have, with fome, the cre- 
dit of being a cordial and fudorifick ; and there are 
thofe who recommend them inepilepfies ; but this 
does not ftand upon any warrant of experience, 
SoBe. C hess 
3. Great upright Violet. 
Viola eretia maxima foliis cordatis. 
= 
The root is compofed of numerous fibres, 
which are long, tough, crooked, and divided. 
The firft leaves are fmall and oval: they foon 
fade and perifh. ‘ 
The ftalks are numerous, round, firm, up- 
right, not much branched, and of a pale green 
colour: they are a foot or more in height, and 
very robuft. . 
The leaves on thefe are large, longifh, and 
fomewhat heart-fathioned : they have long foot- 
ftalks, and they are flightly notched at the edges; 
and at their bafe on the ftalk grow fmaller and 
more jagged ones. : 
The flowers ftand on long footftalks rifing 
from the bofoms of the leaves, one on each: 
they are large, and ufually of a pale blue; fome- 
times deeper; fometimes white 3 and fometimes 
variegated. 
The feed-veffel is large, and the feeds are nu- 
merous. 
It is a native of the mountainous parts .of 
Europe; and flowers in June. 
C. Bauhine calls it Viola martia arborefcens pur- 
purea. Morifon, Viola ereéta flore ceeruleo et albo. 
4. Kidney-leaved Violet. 
Viola evetia foliis reniformibus. 
The root is compofed of many tough, and 
fpreading fibres. 
The leaves are numerous, and very beautiful-: 
each has its feparate long and flender footttalk ; 
and their fhape is, like that of a kidney, hol- 
lowed at the bafe, and notched round the edges. 
The ftalk rifes in the centre, and is round, 
upright, and not at all branched. ‘ 
It has three or four leaves refembling thof 
from the root, but fmalier ; and at the top it 
divides into two parts. 
On each of thefe ftands a flower: this is a 
perfect violet: and its colour is throughout a 
fine deep yellow. : 
The feed-veffel is fmall, and the feeds are nu- 
merous and little. 
It is an extremely fingular plant. 
Till it flowers it would, by moft perfons, be 
taken for the hora, defcribed before in its pro- 
per clafs. 
It is a native of the northern parts of Europe, 
but not of England; and is moft frequent on 
cold, barren mountains. 
It flowers in June. 
C. Bauhine calls it 
Viola alpina rotundifolia 
lutea, 
Others, Viola rotundifolia montana major. 
\ 4. Oval 
