The Description.

            The first kind of Dentaria (called in Latin Dentaria baccifera: of Dodonæus, Dentaria prior: in English, Dog's-Tooth Violet) hath a tuberous and knobby root, toothed, or as it were kneed like unto the crags of Coral, of an unpleasant savour, and somewhat sharp in taste: from which spring forth certain small and slender stalks a foot high, which have leaves very much cut or jagged, like unto those of Hemp, of the form and fashion of Ash leaves: at the top of the stalks do grow small white flowers, in shape like Violæ matronales, that is, Queen's Gillyflowers, or rather like Stock-Gillyflowers, of a white yellow colour, laid over with a light sprinkling of purple: among which come forth small knobs growing upon the stalks among the leaves, such as are to be seen upon the Chimists Martagon which being ripe, do fall upon the ground, whereof many other plants are engendered.

            2. The second kind of Dog's-Tooth Violet bringeth forth small round stalks, firm and stiff, a foot high, beset with leaves much broader, rounder, and greener than the former, bearing at the top many little flowers consisting of four small leaves, of a pale herby colour; which being past, there succeed long and slender cods somewhat like the cods of Queen's Gillyflowers, wherein is contained small brackish seed: the root is like the former, but not in every respect much resembling Coral, yet white and tuberous notwithstanding.

            3. The third kind of Dog's-Tooth Violet is called of Clusius, Dentaria heptaphyllos, that is, consisting of seven leaves fastened upon one rib, sinew, or small stem: of Lobel with this title, Alabastrites altera, or Dentaria altera: but Cordus calleth it Coralloides altera: in English, Coral Violet; it hath stalks, flowers, and roots like unto the first of his kind, saving that the flowers are much fairer, and white of colour, and the roots have a greater resemblance of Coral than the other.

            4. The fourth kind of Dog's-tooth violet, called in English Codded Violet (which Clusius setteth forth under the title Dentaria matthioli pentaphyllos; which Pena doth also express under the title of Nemoralis alpina herbariorus alabstrites; Cordus calleth it Coralloides, and may very well be called in English Cinquefoil Violet) hath leaves so like the greater Cinquefoil, that it is hard to know one from another; therefore it might very well have been reckoned among the herbs called Pentaphylla, that is, five-leaved herbs. This plant groweth in the shadowy forest about Turin, and the mountain Savena called Calcaris, and by the Rhine not far from Basel. The stalks grow to the height of a cubit, beset with a tuft of flowers at the top like to that of the first, but of a deeper purple colour: which being faded, there succeed long and flat cods like unto Rocket, or the great Celandine, wherein is contained a small seed. All the whole plant is of a hot and bitter taste. The roots are like unto Coral, of a pale whitish colour: the leaves are rough and harsh in handling, and of a deep green colour.

            5. Clusius gives us another variety of Dentaria pentaphyllos, whose roots are more uneven and knobby than the last described: the stalk is some foot high: the leaves five upon a stalk, but not so rough, nor of so deep a green as those of the former; yet the flowers are of a deep purple colour, like those of the last described.

The Place.

            They grow on divers shadowy and dark hills. Valerius Cordus writeth, that they are found about the forest Hercynia, not far from Nordhausen, most plentifully, in a fat soil that hath quarries of stone in it. The first I have in my garden.

The Time.

            They flower especially in April and May: the seed cometh to perfection in the end of August.

The Names.

            The toothed Violet, or after some, Dog's-Tooth Violet, is commonly called Dentaria: of Cordus, Coralloides, of the root that is in form like to Coral. Matthiolus placeth it inter Solidagines & Symphyta, among the Confounds and Comfreys. We had rather call them Violæ dentariæ, of the likeness the flowers have with Stock-Gillyflowers. They may be called in English, Toothed Violets, or Coralworts.

The Temperature and Virtues.

            A. I have read of few or no virtues contained in these herbs, saving those which some women have experienced to be in the first kind thereof, and which Matthiolus ascribeth unto Pentaphylla dentaria the fourth kind, in the fourth book of his Commentaries upon Dioscorides and in the chapter conterning Symphytum where he saith that the root is used in drinks which are made against enterocoele and inward wounds, but especially those wounds and hurts which have entered into the hollowness of the breast.