Wanted. — Short notes of interest to the general botanist 

 are always in demand for this department. Our readers are 

 invited to make this the place of publication for their shorter 

 botanical items. The magazine is issued as soon as possible 

 after the 15th of February, May, August and November. 



Bird-foot Violet Leaves. — It would not be difficult to 

 induce the student of plants to agree to put the bird-foot violet 

 {Viola pedata) in a genus by itself. It is so unlike the other 

 American violets that it has always occupied a separate section 

 in the violet genus, and it would not be straining matters much 

 if the section itself were expanded into a genus. One of the 

 most interesting and unique of this violet's characteristics is the 

 way it has of bearing its two sets of leaves. As most stu- 

 dents are aware, the violets are inclined to produce two sets 

 of leaves that differ considerably in appearance. In our com- 

 mon violets, however, one set of leaves succeeds the other 

 gradually, each new leaf having fewer of the characteristics 

 of the early leaves, and more of the characteristics of others to 

 come later. In the bird-foot violet, this succession is managed 

 quite differently. When spring has really begun, the bird- 

 foot violet sends up its flowers, accompanied by long-stalked, 

 deeply-cut leaves. These remain on the plant until the seeds 

 are ripe, but since this violet grows in sandy soils exposed to 

 frequent summer drouths, the leaves may entirely disappear 

 during the warmer parts of the year. Late in summer, when 

 cooler weather and more copious showers make a more propit- 

 ious season, a new set of leaves are produced that are much 

 different from the first set. They are very short stemmed, 



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