1905]  Brainerd,— Notes on New England Violets,— II 7 
violets. V. pedata is in a class by itself, having no bearded petals 
and no known cleistogamous flowers. The other species I would 
arrange according to their natural affinities as follows : — 
KEY To THE BLUE ACAULESCENT VIOLETS OF THE NORTHEASTERN 
UNITED STATES. 
I. Peduncles of cleistogamous flowers decumbent or declining. 
A. Cltistogamous flowers ovoid or ovoid-acuminate; auricles of sepals 
short, appressed. 
a. Leaves cordate, glabrous, 2-6 cm. wide; petals violet, spurred petal 
somewhat bearded ; cleistogamous capsules usually growing above 
ground, subglobose or oblong, 5-8 mm. long ; sepals half the length 
of capsule. è 
* Aestival leaves not acuminate, obscurely crenate; cleistogamous 
capsules green, bearing broadly ovate to lanceolate usually obtuse 
often rounded sepals. (1) V. NEPHROPHYLLA, Greene. 
* * Aestival leaves acuminate, conspicuously crenate-serrate ; cleisto- 
gamous capsules purple, bearing lanceolate attenuate sepals. 
i (2) V. AFFINIS, LeConte. 
b. Leaves broadly cordate, or lobed in (6), 4-12 cm. wide; spurred petal 
almost or quite beardless except in (3); cleistogamous capsules often 
underground until mature, oblong, 8-15 mm. long; sepals ovate- 
lanceolate, one-quarter to one-third the length of capsule, 
* Plants nearly or quite glabrous; petals violet; cleistogamous cap- 
sules usually pale green. 
+ Vernal leaves purple beneath ; aestival leaves often broadly del- 
toid or with concave edges toward the apex. 
(3) V. LATIUSCULA, Greene. 
T t Vernal leaves green beneath; aestival leaves rounded above the 
base or the apex but slightly produced. 
(4) V. PAPILIONACEA, Pursh. 
* * Plants more or less villous-pubescent ; petals commonly light blue 
or lavender ; cleistogamous capsules usually purple. 
+ Leaves never lobed. (5) V. sororta, Willd. 
+ t Leaves more or less lobed. (6) V. PALMATA, L. 
* * * Upper surface of leaves hispid-pubescent ; petals reddish purple. 
(7) V. viLLosa, Walter. 
B. Cleistogamous flowers sagittate, producing short-obovate or sub- 
globose usually purple capsules 4-7 mm. long; auricles in fruit long, 
spreading; petioles veins and margins of leaves hirsutulous; petals 
violet, spurred petal bearded. 
a. Leaves cordate, 4-7 cm. wide; sepals and their auricles ciliolate. 
(8) V. SEPTENTRIONALIS, Greene. 
b. Leaves narrowly cordate-deltoid, 2-3.5 cm. wide; sepals and auricles 
not ciliolate. (9) V. NovAE-ANGLIAE, House. 
II. Peduncles of cleistogamous flowers erect ; their capsules oblong, green, 
- bearing lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate long-auricled sepals. 
A. Spurred petal bearded; cleistogamous flowers sagittate. 
a. Leaves pubescent, ovate-oblong, often coarsely toothed at base; 
petals purple. (10) V. FIMBRIATULA, J. E. Sm. 
b. Leaves nearly glabrous, lanceolate, basal lobes prominently toothed 
or incised; petals purple or violet. (11) V. SAGITTATA, Ait. 
c. Leaves nearly glabrous, deltoid, basal lobes finely toothed or incised ; 
petals blue. (12) V. EMARGINATA, LeConte. 
d. Leaves nearly glabrous, deeply lobed or parted. 
