\ i o L A M i R T A. Hairy Violet. 
VIOLA Ltnnai Gen. pL Syngenesia Monogamia; 
Calyx pentaphyllus. Corolla pentapetala, irregularis, pollice cornuta* Capfuld 
fupra, trivalvis, unilocularis. 
lR.au Synop. Gen. 24. Herb.® pentapetAl® vasculifer®. 
VIOLA hirta acaulis, foliis petiolifque hirfutis, bra&asis infra medium pedunculi* 
VIOLA hirta acaulis, foliis cordatis pilofo hifpidis. Linn. Syjl. Vegetab. p. 668, 
VIOLA acaulis, foliis cordatis hifpidis. Haller hi/l. helv. n. 559. 
VIOLA hirta Hudfon PL Angl. p. 330. 
VIOLA martia major hirfuta inodora. Hi/l. ox. II. 475, 
VIOLA trachelii folio vulgo. Rail hi/l. 1051. Syn. p. 365* Violet with Throat- wort leaves. 
So great is the fimilarity betwixt this Species and the Viola odorata, that to defcribe it in the fame man- 
ner as I have that plant, would be to repeat nearly the fame words. To avoid this famenels of expreffion, 
I fhall adopt a defcription in the way of contrail, which will enable me to point out the differences of each 
in a manner more Itriking, and I hope equally fatisfadlory to my botanic readers. 
I would firfl premife, that as it is my greatell wifh to clear up every difficulty refpedting the fpecies and 
varieties of thofe plants which come properly before me, fo I have with that view, not only examined this 
plant with the greatell attention, where it has grown wild, but alfo cultivated it in my garden along with the 
odorata , and hence, feeing and noticing its mode of growth throughout the year, have perhaps been able to 
obtain a clearer idea of its hiflory, than thofe who may have viewed it at one particular feafon only. 
The Viola odorata throws out from the upper part of its root a number of Ilolones or fhoots, which trail 
on the ground, and quickly take root at the joints, whereby it propagates itfelf very fall : the hirta likewife 
encreafcs itfelf by throwing out young flalks ; but then they are not procumbent, nor do they ever Ilrike root 
as thofe of the odorata do ; hence the hirta does not encreafe fo fall, nor fpread fo wide. Although Linn®us makes 
a confiderable difference in the form of the roots of thefe plants, yet from what I have obferved, this difference pro- 
ceeds chiefly from the age of the roots ; for in both fpecies, the older they are, the more full are they of tubercles of 
cicatrices, formed by the annual Ihedding of the leaves. 
The radical Stipule are lanceolate and ferrated in both fpecies. 
’Tb.efootflalks of the leaves form perhaps the moll obvious difference ; in the odorata they are nearly fmooth 5 
in the hirta they are very hirfute, and this hairinefs puts on a kind of filvery appearaue in the young plants of this 
fpecies, where it is remarkably confpicuous. 
In the leaves themfelves the difference is for the mofl part, not very remarkable, for in both fpecies they are 
fomewhat hirfute underneath ; thofe of the hirta however, are fometimes remarkably fo, from growing in particular 
foils or fltuations : the leaves of the odorata have a more glofly appearance on their upper furface, but this fcarce 
diferiminates them unlefs they are contrafled. With refpect to fhape and iize likewife, the difference is not very 
obvious ; both fpecies when in bloom are fmall, compared with the fize to which they afterwards grow. In 
make they are fomewhat longer, and not fo perfectly heart-fhaped. 
In the fpecimens of this plant which I have examined, I could not perceive that fenfible difference which 
Linn®us notices (vid. Manti/f. Plant, alt. p. 483.) in the fhape of the Peduncle above the Bradlea; ; in both fpecies 
they certainly are channeled at the back : in the fituation of the BraiSlete, however, there is a very confiderable 
difference, which does not appear to have been taken notice of, and this feemed to me to be fo obvious a character, 
that I trufl it will apologize for my altering its fpecific defcription : in the odorata , the Bradtea are placed above the 
middle of the Scapus, or Peduncle ; in the hirta, they are fituate below it : but there is one .caution neceflary to be' 
obferved refpedling this charadter, viz. that the Bradteae of each be obferved, jufl when the flowers are fully expand- 
ed, for as that part of the Scapus, which is fituated above the Bradley, grows confiderably longer by the time 
that the flowers of the odorata are faded, fo they fhould both be examined when of an equal age, otherwife 
this diflinction will not appear fo remarkable. 
The flowers of the hirta, in general, appear about a week later than thofe of the odorata, are of a paler 
blue colour, and entirely want that fweet fragrance which renders the odorata fo grateful a harbinger of the 
Spring. In the other parts of the fructification, thefe plants are very fimilar to each other ; but there is one 
circumflance refpeding the manner in which they produce and difperfe their feeds, which may not be generally known* 
Linn®us in his Flora Snecica, n. 789, obferves that the flowers which the Viola mirabilis firfl produces from the 
root, are furnifhed with Petals, yet that thefe for the mofl part are barren, while thofe which blow later the fame 
Spring, and rife from the flalk, although deflitute of Petals, produce perfedt feed : and Jacquin, in his excellent 
work The Flora Auftriaca, where this plant is figured, (Vol. r. pi. 19.) confirms the truth of Linn®us’s observations, 
and fays that the barrenefs of thofe flowers appeared to arife from a deficiency of the Stylus. Linn®us in his va- 
luable treatife above quoted, obferves likewife, that the flowers of the Viola montana, which appear firfl, are furmfhad 
with Petals, but that thofe which are afterwards produced have no Petals, yet nevertheless are fertile ; and this I 
find, on repeated examination, to be the cafe with the Viola odorata and hirta , but more particularly the latter : they 
differ from the Viola mirabilis in this refpedt, that all the flowers which are formed, both with and without Petals, 
produce perfeci feed. I was led to this difeovery from obferving a Angle plant of the Viola hUa, to produce about the 
middle of Summer ten or twelve capfules of ripe feeds, on which 1 was certain m the Spring no more than two or 
three blofloms had appeared : the next Spring I difeovered, that befides thofe perfeci blpfioms which firfl fpring up, 
this plant continues for a month or more to throw out new flowers, which are entirely deflitute of Petals, or have 
only the rudiments of them which never appear beyond the Calyx ; but all the other parts of the fructification are 
perfet. The capfules in both thefe fpecies, when they become nearly ripe, lay cloie to the ground, fo that whc-il 
they burfl, the feeds have an eafy accefs into ther earth. . , . , , 
there is fome difference with refpedt to the foil and fituation in which thefe two plants delight ; the odorata grow 
very generally under warm hedges, and in woods ; the other appears to be pretty much confined to a chalky foil, and 
often occurs in more expofed fltuations, in the fields and on the banks about Charlton, it may be found in tolerable' 
abundance. 
