56 
BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
GENUS XXX. 
THE RADISH. (Raphanus, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. TETRADYNAMIA SILIQUOSA. 
Generic Character _Siliqua divided across into many cells, or separating into several pieces. Seeds in one row, globose, pendulous. 
Cotyledons rather thick, doubled together. (Dec.) 
Description, &e.—There are only two species of this genus natives of Britain, as the common garden-radish, 
II. sativus , was introduced from China about three hundred years ago. The name of Raphanus is derived from 
two Greek words signifying to appear quickly, in allusion to the rapidity with which the seeds vegetate when 
they are put into the ground. The two British species are, the Jointed Charlock, R. Raphanistrum , a very 
troublesome weed closely resembling the common Charlock, or wild Mustard, but easily distinguished by its 
jointed seed-pod; and the Sea-Radish, R. maritimus, a large, coarse-growing, biennial plant, covered with 
prickles, and having a large fleshy root, almost as pungent as that of the Horse-Radish. The flowers of both 
species are yellow, with deep purple veins ; but they sometimes become blanched after they have been expanded 
some time. 
CHAPTER VII. 
THE VIOLET FAMILY. (Violace^e, Juss.) 
Character of the Order. —Sepals five, persistent, with an im¬ 
bricate aestivation, usually elongated at the base. Petals five, hypo- 
gynous, equal or unequal, usually with an obliquely convolute 
aestivation. Stamens five, alternate with the petals, inserted on an 
hypogynous disk, often unequal; anthers bilocular, bursting inwards, 
either separate or cohering ; filaments dilated, elongated beyond the 
anthers; two, in the irregular flowers, generally furnished with an 
appendage or gland at their base. Ovarium one-celled, many-seeded 
or one-seeded, with three parietal placentae opposite the three outer 
sepals ; style single, usually declinate, with an oblique hooded stigma. 
Capsule of three valves, bearing the placentae in their axis. Embryo 
straight, erect, in the axis of fleshy albumen. Herbaceous plants or low 
shrubs. Leaves simple, usually alternate, stipulate, entire, with an 
involute vernation. ( Lindley.) 
Description, &c. —The only genus belonging to this order, which contains British plants, is Viola, 
containing both the Violet and the Heartsease. 
GENUS I. 
THE VIOLET. (Viola, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Generic Character. —Sepals unequal, auricled. Petals unequal, the lower spurred. Stamens on the apex of a five-toothed torus ; two 
lower anthers with processes at their back. Capsule three-valved,opening with elasticity. {Lindley.) 
Description, &c.— This is a small genus of dwarf herbaceous plants, some well known for their beauty 
and others for their fragrance. They have all alternate leaves, which are in some of the species heart-shaped, 
and in others are remarkable for the large size of their stipules, which, indeed, have more the appearance of 
leaves than the leaves themselves: the latter are called pansies, or kinds of heartsease ; while those with the 
cordate leaves are the true violets. The word Viola is said by some to have been derived from the name of Jo, 
whose first food was a violet after she had been changed into a cow by Juno ; but others derive the name from 
