206 
The BRITISH HERBAL. 
Thefe are all the fpecks of vj'ild viokl . 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 fpecics. 
Thefe all are fuppofed to pofiefs the fame vir- 
tues with the common kind, but in a lefs degree . 
and therefore they are not to be regarded. 
'I he flowers of ths paii/y have, with fome, the cre- 
dit of being a cordial and fudorifick ; and there are 
thole who recommend them incpilepfies ; but this 
does not ftand upon any warrant of experience. 
DIVISION II. FOREIGN SPECIES. 
1. Fingered-leaved Violet. 
Fjola foliis digitalis. 
This is of the common i:iclst, not of the fanfy 
kind, though cxtrem ely fingular in the leaf. 
The root is compofed of numerous fibres, 
riflng from a fnlall head. 
The leaves are fupported on long, flender, 
rediOi footftalks, and are broad, and divided in 
the fingered or palmated manner, each into 
about five parts : thefe fegments ftand wide 
afunder : they are (lightly notched at the edges, 
and the two outer pieces are broader than the 
others. 
The whole leaf is fmall, and its colour is a 
pale green. 
The ftalks which fupport the flowers rife 
among the leaves ; they arc weak, flender, and 
about three inches high. 
One flower ftands on each, and this is fmall 
and white. 
The feed-vefiil is Ihort, and full of fniail feeds. 
There is little beauiy in the plant ; but it is 
extremely fingular. 
It is a native of North America, and flowers 
in April. 
Plukenet calls it Viola Virgitiiana flatanifolia 
foliis farvis. 
There Ibmetimcs are running fhoots from the 
root, as in the comiimi violet, 
2. Seven-leaved Violet. 
Viola foliis feptempartitis: 
The root is long, flender, crooked, and fur- 
nilbed 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 fl;and 
fo perfeflly feparate that the name of feven- 
kaved feems hardly exceptionable, though, in 
reality, thefe which appear to be feparate leaves 
are no other than the feven fegments of one en- 
tire leaf. 
The fialks which fupport the flowers rife in 
numbers from the root, in the manner of the 
common violet. They are fliort, fler.der, and each 
fuf ports a Angle flower. 
This is large and beautiful ; fometimes of one 
colour, which is a rich, deep blue, but oftener 
variegated ; fo that it feems a psnfy growin<j 
in the manner of the common viola. ° 
It is a native of Virginia, and flowers in 
April. 
Plukenet calls it Viola Virginiana tricolor foliis 
Piultijidis caliliculo cipbyllo. 
3. Great upright Violet. 
Viola ere^a 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 perifli. 
The ftalks are numerous, round, firm, up- 
right, not much branched, and of a pale <rreen 
colour : they are a foot or more in height, and 
very robuft. 
The leaves on thefe are large, longifli, and 
fomewhat heart- falhioned : 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 bofonis of the Laves, one on each: 
they are large, and ufually of a pale blue; fome- 
times deeper ; fometimes white ; and fometimes 
variegated. 
The feed-velTcl 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 'nViola marlia artorefcens pur- 
purea. Morifon, Viola ercSla fiore ceruleo et alha. 
4. Kidney-leaved Violet. 
Viola crccfa foliis reniformihus. 
The root is compofed of many tough, and 
fpreading fibres. 
The leaves are numerous, and very beautiful : 
each has its feparate long and flender footftalk; 
and their ftiape is, like that of a kidney, hol- 
lowed at the bafe, and notched round the edt^es. 
The ftalk rifes in the centre, and is roiind, 
upright, and not at all branched. 
It has three or four leaves refcmbling thofe 
from the root, but fmaller ; and at the top it 
divides into two parts. 
On each of thefe ftands a flower : this is a 
perfeai'ioto: and its colour is throughout a 
fine deep yellow. 
The feed-veflel is fmall, and the feeds are nu- 
merous and little. 
It is an extremely fingular plant. 
Till it flowers it would, by mofl: perfons, be 
taken for the tbora, dcfcribed 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. 
5. Oval 
