516 



Handbook of Nature-Study 



However, the violets go on living their own lives, in their own way, 

 quite unmindful of the poets. There are many different species, and they 

 frequent quite different locations. Some live in the woods, others in 

 meadows and others in damp, marshy ground. They are divided into 

 two distinct groups those where the leaf-stems come directly from the 

 root, and those where the leaves come from a common stem, the latter 

 being called the leafy-stemmed violets. Much attention should be given 

 to sketching and studying the leaf accurately of the specimens under 

 observation, for the differences in the shapes of the leaves, in many 

 instances, determine the species; in some cases the size and shape of the 

 stipules determines the species; and whether the leaves and stems are 

 downy or smooth is another important characteristic. In the case of 

 those species where the leaves spring from the root, the flower stems rise 

 from the same situation; but in the leafy-stemmed violets the flower 

 stems come off at the axils of the leaves. In some species the flower 

 stems are long enough to lift the flowers far above the foliage, while in 

 others they are so short that the flowers are hidden. 



The violet has five 

 sepals and their shape 

 and length is a distin- 

 guishing mark. There 

 are five petals, one pair 

 above, a pair one at each 

 side, and a broad lower 

 petal which gives the 

 bees and butterflies a 

 resting place when they 

 are seeking nectar. 

 This lower petal is pro- 

 longed backward into a 

 spur which holds the 

 nectar. 



The spur forms the 

 nectary of the violet, 

 and in order to reach the 

 sweet treasure, which is 

 at the rearmost point of 

 the nectary, the insect 

 must thrust its tongue 

 through a little doer 

 guarded by both anthers 

 and pistil; the insect 

 thus becomes laden with 

 pollen, and carries it 

 from flower to flower. 

 In many of the species, 

 the side petals have at 

 their bases a little fringe 

 Common blue violet, showing two of the little flowers which forms an arch 

 which never open, lyingbetween the bare over t jj e door or throat 



rootstocks. Note the three-valved , ,. ,, +,. 



seed capsules. leading to the nectary 



Photo by Veme Morton. While this is considered 



