Hottonia palustris. Water Hottonia, 
o r W ater Violet. 
HOTTONIA Lin. Gen. PL Pentandria Monogynia. 
Rail Syn. Gen. 18. Herba; fructu sicco singulari, flore monopetalo. 
HOTTONIA palu/lris, pedunculis verticillato-multifloris. Lin.SyJl. Veget ab. 164. 
HOTTONIA florum verticillis fpicatis. Haller, hifl. n. 632. 
MILLEFOLIUM aquaticum feu Viola aquatica, caule nudo. Bauhin. pin. 141. Parkinfon , 1256. 
VIOLA paluftris. Gerard, ernac. 826. Rati Syn. p. 285. Hudfsn. FI. Angi. p. 72. Scopolb FI. Carniol. n. 213. 
FI. Dan. icon. 487. 
RADIX e plurimis fibrillis capillaceis albis conflat, qua; 
in limum profunde dimittuntur. 
CAULIS five Scapus floriferas, pedalis, fimplex, ere&us, 
multiflorus, verfus apicem glandulis fcabriufcu- 
lus, ad bafin foliis plurimis inftrudtus, unde per 
aquam longe excurrunt caules plures qui fibrillas 
dimittunt. 
FOLIA plurima, plerumque immerfa, pinnata, in api- ; ’ 
cibus _ caulium juniorum denfa, reflexa, Pinnis : 
linearibus planis. 
FLORES pallide purpurei, verticillati, fpicati, Pedunculi ' 
ad. 10, Bracfaea, ad bafin inftructi, poft florei- ; 
centiam reflexi. J 
t 
? 
CALYX : Peri anthium monophyllum, quinquepar- f 
titum: Lacinii s linearibus, ere&o-patulis, Jig. 1. “ 
COROLLA : monopetala, hypocrateriformis, tubus 
longitudine calycis, limbus quinquefidus, 
planus : laciniis ovato-oblongis, emarginatis, 
fg- 2. 
STAMINA : Filamenta quinque, fubulata, brevia, 
eredta. An thera: oblongs, fla ven.fg. 3. 
PISTILLUM: Germen fubglobofum. Stylus filifor- 
mis, brevis. Stigma globofum, Jig. 4. 
PERICARPIUM : Capsula globofa, unilocularis, fub- 
pellucida, Jig. 5. 
ROOT confifts of numerous white capillary fibres, which 
penetrate deep into the mud. 
STALK or flowering Scapus, a foot high, Ample, up- 
right, fuftaining many flowers, towards the 
top roughilh with little glands, furnilhed at 
bottom with numerous leaves, from whence 
feveral ftalks proceed and run out to a con- 
fiderable length through the water throwing 
out numerous white fibre§. 
LEAVES numerous, generally under the water, pin- 
nated, growing in tufts on the tops of the 
young ftalks, bending downwards, the Pinna; 
linear and flat. 
FLOWERS of a pale purple colour, growing in whirls, 
and forming a fpike. Peduncles to 10 in num- 
ber, furnilhed at bottom with a Bradtjea, when 
the flowers are gone off turning downwards. 
CALYX : a Perianthium of one leaf, divided into five 
segments, which are linear, upright and fome- 
what fpreading, Jig. 1 . 
COROLLA : monopetalous and falver-lhaped, the tube 
the length of the calyx; the limb divided 
into five fegments and flat; the segments of 
an oval oblong lhape with a notch at the ex- 
tremity, Jig. 2. 
STAMINA: five Filaments tapering, Ihort, and up- 
right, Anthera: oblong and yellow, y^-. 3. 
PISTILLUM : Germen roundilh, Style thread-lhaped 
and Ihort, Stigma fpherical, Jig. 4. 
SEED-VESSEL : a round Capsule of one cavity, 
flightly tranlparent, Jig. 5. 
SEMINA plurima, ovata, pallide fufca, fg. 7. recep- | SEEDS numerous, oval, of a pale brown colour, fig. 7; 
taculo globofo intra capfulam affixa, fg. 6. ^ affixed to a round receptacle within the capfule 
* fg- 6 - 
This lingular plant abounds in moft of our watry Ditches, particularly in fuch as divide the Meadows, and flowers 
m May and June, continuing for a confiderable time in bloflom ; among a variety of other places it mav be found in 
a ditch on the right hand fide ofthe Field Way leading from Kent-ftreet Road to Peckham. 
We do not find any author that mentions its pofleffing any properties to recommend it but its beauty and fintrularitv 
both of which it poneues in a degree fufficient to command our admiration. 6 - ’ 
The leaves generally grow beneath the furface of the water and afford a Nidus if not Nouriffiment to the freffi- water 
Periwinkle and fome other fmall Ihell filh. 
Antient Botamfts have given it the names of Millefitmm oqmticum, and Viola umalieu; the great number of its 
leaves induced them with fome propriety, to call it Millefolium, but why they Ihould call it a Viola feems difficult 
to determine, as the bloflom has nothing in its ftruflure fimilar to the flowers of that Genus. Boerhave afterwards 
called it Hottonia , in honour of Dr. Hotton, which name Linmeus has continued. 
