Violet
I- Nomenclature
Latin name: Viola Odorata
Family : Violaceae
Common names: Sweet violet
Etymology
From the Latin 'viola': violet
From the Latin 'odorata': fragrant
II- Legends and traditions
In Greek mythology, Zeus transformed his mistress Io into a white heifer so that his wife, Hera did not discover her. But the lover of the god of the gods wept because of the coarseness of the grass which she was thus forced to graze on. Touched by Io's tears, Zeus transformed them into fragrant violets to soften his pain. "Wherever she puts her lips, says Zeus, let her breath change to violets."
Pliny the Elder, reports that during festivals, the heads were crowned with violets because they had the reputation of limiting or avoiding the headaches due to libations.
III- Botanical description
Description: Perennial herb from 8 to 15cm, with rhizomes provided with aerial, creeping and underground runners.
The leaves are toothed, long petiolate with a heart-shaped blade.
The flowers are solitary, contain 5 purple petals and long peduncles.
The fruits are dehiscent hairy capsules with 3 valves
Habitat: It lives in colonies on silty and humid soils in meadows, woods, lawns and hedges.
Flowering: from February to May
Harvest: flowers and leaves are harvested in full bloom
Pars used : flowers, leaves and roots
IV- Active ingredients
|
Flower |
Leave |
Root |
|
|
|
V- Therapeutic uses
Properties
|
Flower |
Root |
Leaves |
|
|
|
Indications
Bronchitis, cough, pulmonary catarrh, inflammation of the throat, angina;
Diarrhea, dysentery;
Hemorrhoids, frostbite, scabs, chapped skin.
Dosage
Infusion: put 1 teaspoon of flowers in a cup of hot water, infuse 10 minutes, drink 2 to 4 cups per day.
Syrup: let macerate for 12 hours, 100gr of flowers in a liter of hot water. Filter, mix 1 kg of sugar and cook until syrup consistency. Take 3 to 4 tablespoons a day.
Decoction: put 1 teaspoon of root per cup, boil for 5 minutes: expectorant.
Powder: 1 to 4 gr of powder in a glass of sugar water: emetic.
VI- Precaution of use
Contraindication
None known
Other uses
A flower in the baby's bottle will treat constipation and fever in teething.
