136 VIOLACEiE. Viola. 



ovate : placentae linear. — Erect shrubs, Avith alternate leaves. Stipules in 

 pairs. Flowers in axillary many-flowered racemes, or in crowded fascicles : 

 pedicels with 2 bracteoles near the middle. 



1. N. acuminata (DC): leaves lanceolate, on short petioles, eiliate, tooth- 

 ed, the apex produced into a long entire point ; pedicels solitary, rather short- 

 er than the leaves. DC. prodr. 1. p. 290. 



North America, Michaux, ex DC. — This plant is inserted on the authority 

 of De CandoUe, who states that he saw it in the herbarium of the Museum 

 of Paris, imder the name of Violseoides, Miclur. mss. He asks whether it is 

 not a variety of N. orchidiflora. It has doubtless been recorded as a native 

 of N. America by mistake. 



2. VIOLA. Linn.; Gcertn.fr. t. 112 ; Gingins, in DC. prodr. 1. p. 23T. 



Sepals unequal, more or less auricled at the base. Petals unequal ; the su- 

 perior (by resupination inferior) one spurred at the base. Stamens approxi- 

 mated, filaments distinct, dilated at the base ; the two lower ones with ap- 

 pendages on the back which are concealed in the spur : anthers connate ; the 

 lobes diverging at the base. Ovary sometimes surrounded at the base by the 

 concave torus, and then apparently half inferior. Capsule bursting elastically.. 

 Seeds horizontal, Avith an evident caruncle. — Low herbaceous plants, mostly 

 perennial, with a short subterraneous stem or rhizoma (and then called acaur 

 lescent or stemless), or caulescent. Leaves alternate. Peduncles angular, 

 solitary, 1-flowered, Avith two little bracteoles, recurved at the summit, so 

 that the flower is resupinate or nodding. 



§ 1. Stigma rostrate; the beak more or less recurved, with a foramen at 

 the extremity, margined or convex on the back: style attenuated from 

 the summit to the base : stamens oblong : torus fattish : capsule often 

 2-sided: seeds mwieroiis (15-30). Gingins. 



* ^caulescent. 



1. V. pedaia (Linn.): nearly glabrous ; leaves pedately about 7-parted j 

 segments linear-lanceolate, entire, or incisely 3-toothed at the summit ; stig- 

 ma large and thick, margined, obliquely truncate ; beak very short ; petals all 

 glabrous. — Michx: ! fl. 2. p. 151 ; Schwein. ! man. Viol, in Sill. jour. 5. 

 p. 50; Torr.! fl. 1. p. 249; DC. prodr. 1. ^.291; Le Conte ! mon. Viol, 

 in ann. lye. New-York, 2. p. 147. Hook. ft. Bor.-Am. 1. p. 74. V. digitata, 

 Pursh, fl. 1. p. 171; V. flabellifolia, Lod'd. bot. cab. t. 111. 



Dry sandy Avoods and on rocky hills, British America, lat. 53^, to Florida ! 

 and west to Illinoi*— Rhizoma thick. Leaves of a firm texture ; the seg- 

 ments sometimes very narroAv and laciniate. Stipules ciliate. Flowers 

 very large, usually bright blue, sometimes pale or even white. 



2. V. delphinifolia (l^uU. I mss.): "minutely pubescent ; leaves pedately 

 7-9-parted ; segments linear, 2-3-cleft ; stigma thick, distinctly rostrate ; the 

 2 superior petals pubescent ; the 3 inferior emarginate ; spur saccate, short. 



" Prairies of Missouri, near Independence, not uncommon. March. — 

 Rhizoma thick. Leaves pubescent on the margin and nerves; often finely 

 divided, Avith numerous lobes. Stipules ovate-lanceolate, much acuminated, 

 neaily entire. Peduncles, at the time of floAA^ering, a little longer than the 



