204 The B R I T I S H H E R B A L. 
DIVISION I. BRITISH SPECIES. 
X. Common Violet. 
Viola purpurea vulgaris. 
The root is long, (lender, crooked, and fur- 
nifhed with numerous fibres. 
The leaves arc 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 ipread the plant abun- 
dantly. 
The leaves are broad, (hort, and roundilh, 
but heart-fafliioned at the bafe ; they are of a 
deep green, (lightly crenatcd at the edges, and 
fupported on long, (lender footftalks. 
Among thefe rife numerous, (lender, weak, 
and naked (falks ; on each of which (lands a 
(ingle (iower. 
This is large, of a deep, beautiful blue, and 
of an extremely fweet fmell. 
The feed-velTcI is large, and the (eeds are nu- 
merous and oval. 
It is common under hedges, and flowers early 
in fpring. 
C. Bauhine calls it Viola martia purpurea JJore 
fmpiui odorc. Others, Viola nigra vel purpurea, 
and Viola martia Jimplex. 
This is the fpecies whofe flowers fliould be 
ufed, and no other : they are cooling, emollient, 
and gently cathartick ; as they iofe a great pare 
of their virtue in drying, and are not to be had 
frelli, except in fpring, the beft method of ufing 
them is in the ibrm 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 Iticcefs againfl: habitual coftivenels in grown 
perfons ; taking a fmali dofe every night. 
■ Jt is alfo good in coughs and hoarfenefles. 
The feeds, dried and powdered, work gently 
by (tool and urine. They are excellent in the 
gravel, and in nephritick complaints in general. 
The leaves are emollient, and ufed in decoc- 
tions for glyftcrs. Too large a dofe of the feeds 
will occafion vomiting. 
Many authors have defcribed what they call 
the white-jlowered violet as a diftinft 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 hlue violets, in a garden. 
2. Dogs Violet. 
Viola foliis obkngis caulefcem. 
The root is very long, flender, divided, and 
farnKhed 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 common 
violet, and natrower in proportion to the Icnc^th : 
they are heart-fadrioned at the bafe, and notched 
round the edges. 
Amongft thefe rife feveral fmall 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 fmalk-r. 
The flowers ftand fingly on long, flender foot- 
flralks that rife from the root, or from thofe parts 
of the rtalk juft named, which have taken root : 
they , have ufually fome little films upon them, 
but no leaves, properly fo called. 
The flower rcfembles that of the common violet, 
but it is Imalltr, of a paler blue, and has no 
fmell. 
It is common under hedges, and flowers in 
April. 
C Bauhine calls it Viola inodora fylveftris. 
Others, Viola fyhejlris, and Viola canina. 
This is fometimcs found with a white flower, 
as the other ; and ibmj l-.avc defcribed it in that 
ftate as a diftind fpecies. 
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 ri(i firfl: from it have (hort 
footftalks : they are fmall, rounded, and of a 
dulky green ; very flightiy fnip'd at the edges, 
and fcarce at all cordated at the bafe : this form 
they cnnftancly keep, and the fpecies is therefore 
plainly diflinit. 
The ftalk is flender, upright, and of a pale 
green ; and at the top fufl:ains a (ingle flower : 
this is large in proportion to the plant, and is of 
a beautiful deep blue, with a yellow fpur behind. 
'I he feed-veflel is oval, and the feeds are nu- 
merous and alfo oval. 
It is not uncommon in Surry and Siiflex. It 
flowers in April. 
Ray calls it Viola canina minor fioris calcari 
luteo. 
4. Round fmooth-leaved Violet. 
Viola foliis rotmidioribus glabris. 
The root is long, flender, and furniflied with 
numerous fibres. 
The leaves rife in a confiderable tuft, and they 
are ftiorter than in the preceding fpecies, and ob- 
tufe at the ends ; fo that they appear roundifli : 
they are of a deep green colour, and perfeftly 
fmooth. 
The flowers ftand on fingle footftalks, which 
are weak, flender, and five or fix inches high: 
they are of a pale blue, of the fliape of the 
mon violet, but very linall, and wholly fcentiefs. 
The fced-vdfel is fmall and oval ; and the 
feeds are fmall. 
It was obferved firft in Oxfordfliire, but it 
grows all over the north of England on boggy 
grounds. It flowers in June. ° 
Dr. Plot, who firft defcribed the fpecies, calls 
it Viola palujlris rotundifolia glabra. 
4 
5. Short- 
