y t o [ 620 ]
V I O L A canina.
D o g 's V io let.
P E N T A N D R IA Monogynia.
G en. C har. Cal. 5-leaved. Petals 5, irregular, the
lowermoft fpurred behind. Cagf. fuperior, of one
cell, with three valves.
Spec. C har. Stem at length afcending, channelled.
^Leaves oblong-heartfhaped. Calyx acute.
Syn. Viola canina. Linn. Sfi. PI. 1324. Hudf. 379.
' With. 261. Hull. 191. Relh. 329. Sibth. 83.
Abbot. 190. Curt. Lond. fa jc. 2. t. 6 1.
V. martia inodora fylveflris. Rail Syn. 364.
A f t e r the flowers of the Sweet Violet are gone, every
copfe, heath, and fliady dell is decorated, for two or three
months, with the paler and lefs welcome blofloms of the Viola
canina, which are totally without fmell. The epithet canina
feems to have been given to it, as to the hedge rofe, to exprefs
a degree of inferiority or unworthinefs, as if a dog were always
a lefs refpectable or ufeful animal than his mafter.
This fpecies varies, like the preceding, in the colour of its
blofloms: the whole herb is moreover extremely variable in fize,
and the leaves in form : we are almoft perfuaded that our
V. laBea, t. 445, is only a variety of this, for culture brings
them very clofely together.
Root perennial, fomewhat woody. The firft flowers are radical;
but feveral branched angular leafy ftems foon fpring forth,
which continue growing and bearing numerous flowers for feveral
weeks. Leaves heart-fhaped or oblong, crenate, fmooth;
their footftalks fmooth, fomewhat dilated at the top. Stipulae
fringed. Flower-ftalks axillary, folitary, ereft, fquare, bearing
two awl-fhaped bractese in the upper part, and one nodding
blue flower. Antherse fcarcely cohering. Calyx-leaves acute.
Stigma gibbous. Capfule rather more oblong than in the
Sweet Violet. Seeds roundifh.