H E S P E R I S inodora.
Scentlefs Dame's-violet.
TETRADYNAMIA Siliquofa.
Gen. Char. Petals obliquely twilled. A gland on
the infide of the fhorter ftamina. Pod ftraight.
Cal. clofed ; a of its leaves gibbous at the bafe.
Spec. Char. Stem eredt. Leaves ovato-lanceolate,
toothed, fometimes flightly haftate at the bafe.
Petals obtufe.
Syn. Hefperis inodora. Linn. Sp. PI. 927. Sm. FI.
Brit. 7 1 1 . Hudf. 288. With. 5 8 6 . Hull. 1 4 7 .
Jacq. Aufir. t. 347.
H. fylveftris inodora. D ill, in Raii Syn. 293.
G ATHERED on Cotfwould ridge, by the road fide between
Frogmill and Cheltenham, Gloucefterfhire, hy Lord Vifcount
Lewitham. This fhould therefore be the H. inodora of Hudfon
and Withering, as it is unqueftionably that of the Linnsean
herbarium, communicated by Jacquin to Linnaeus under the
name of Hefperis tettia Clvfi. How far it is really diftindt
from the garden H. matronalis is by no means certain; for that
is altogether without fmell in the day-time, and Clufius fays
they are hardly to be diftinguilhed by any other character.
Both flower in May and June, and are generally biennial in
faft, though naturally perennial; that is,- they are capable, if
circumftances are favourable, of flowering for feveral fuccefiive
years. The plant before us rifes to the height of 3 feet or more,
with a round, flightly-branched, Hem. Leaves alternate, unequally
toothed, infomuch that the larger teeth near the bafe
fometimes give them a kind of haftate figure; but this rarely
happens. The pubefcence of the whole herb is either fimple
or forked. Flowers pale rofe-coloured. Calyx-leaves cohering
by their upper part. Stigma arrow-fhaped, at leaft as the
pod increafes; but this circumftance is not proper to the whole
genus.