Viola,] VIOLARIEiE. 



75 



of our North American Travellers. Le Conte says it is better known by its habit than any character that 

 can be assigned to it. 



3. F. asarifolia; stigmate clavato-capitato recurvo immarginato [Schwein,\ foliis cucul- 

 latis lato-cordatis reniformibus nunc sagittatisve et subpalmatis lobatis omnibus crenato- 

 dentatis in petiolum decurrentibus. — Pursh^ Fl. Am. v. 2. p, 732. (not MuJd, Cat.) Schwein, 

 Viol, in SilL Journ, v. 5. p, 54. Elliott, Carol, v. 1. p. 299. De Cand, Prodr, v, 1. p. 292. 

 Le Conte in Ann, Lye, of N. Y. v, 2. p. 141. — An V. congener, Le Conte^ I, c, p, 140. ? 



Hab. Canada. Le Conte, — Much confusion exists with regard to the present species. Pursh is the 

 original authority for it, and Le Conte cites the plant o? Pursh as a native of Canada. The only specimens 

 which I have had the opportunity of seeing are from Mr. Schweinitz, having entire cordate leaves, and vary- 

 ing in their general aspect scarcely at all from V. cucullata. It is it which Le Conte brings as a synonym to 

 his V. congener, a species scarcely differing, according to his own description, from V, cucullata, and to which 

 Nuttall is disposed to refer the V, asarifolia of Pursh, 



4. V, cucullata ; stigmate triangulari-marginato, foliis cordatis acutis glabriusculis ser- 

 ratis junioribus prsecipue basi cucullatis, rhizomato carnoso crasso, petalis oblique flexis, 

 calcare brevissimo. — Ait, Hort, Kew, ed, 1. p, 288. Pursh, FL Am, v, 1, p, 173. Elliott, 

 Carol, V. 1. p, 298. (non Schwein, ?) De Cand, Prodr, v, 1. p, 292. Sims in Bot, Mag, t, 1795. 

 Torrey, Fl, ofUn, St, v. 1. ^. 251. Bigel, Fl, Bost, ed. 2. p, 97. Le Conte in Ann, Lye, ofN, Y, 

 r. 2. p. 137. — V. obliqua. Ait Pursh, Schweiii, Torrey, — V. papilionacea. Pursh, — V, 

 affinis. Le Conte, L c, p, 138, (et tunc V, cucullata, Schwein,) — V. sororia* of Pursh, ac- 

 cording to Le Conte, 



fi, minor ; foliis vlx unciam longis, petalis subimberbibus. 



Hab. Throughout Canada; Zadi/ Dalhousie and Dr. Todd; and as far north as the Mackenzie River 

 and Bear Lake. Dr. Richardson; Drummond. Newfoundland. Mr. Morrison, /3. Marshes in the Rocky 

 Mountains. Drummond. — The flowers are large, of a more or less deep purple colour, and with the claws more 

 or less distinctly bearded. The leaves and petioles are uncertain in the degree of pubescence, and the leaves 

 in their length relatively to their breadth. From these circumstances, often var}'ing in the same individual, 

 together with the greater or less width of the calycine leaves, and the length of the peduncles in regard to that 

 of the leaves, many varieties, and not a few species, have been made, by which the difficulty of determining 

 the synonjTBS is not a little increased. Le Conte refers the V. cucullata of Schweinitz to his new species 

 V, affinis ; yet says it differs in no distinctive characters, except the shortness of the peduncles and the 

 broader sepals. — Whether or not my var. /3. ought to he distinguished, I am not able to say. It does not 

 differ in the stigma. The leaves are much shorter than the scapes or peduncles, and the blade is scarcely 

 more, and often not so much, as an inch long. The flowers, to judge from the dried specimens, are yerj 

 pale-coloured and almost glabrous. — Mr. Elliott observes that this species is very mucilaginous, and much 

 used by the negroes of South Carolina and Georgia in their soups. The bruised leaves too are employed 

 as an emollient application. 



5. V,Selkirkii; stigmate — ? foliis cordatis crenato-serratis pilosiusculis, petalis imber- 

 bibus, calcare subseque longo crasso obtusissimo. — Goldie in Edin, Phil. Journ, 1822. 

 p, 319. 



• Willdenow, in Hort. Berol. t. 72, is the aathority for this species, and his figure and description entirely accord 

 with our plant, except that the flower is much smaller: and it is well known how liable this part is to vary in almost 

 all oar Violas. 



K 2 



