VIOLA CUCULLATA. COMMON BLUE VIOLET. 1 9 



importance is attached to them in determining species. The 

 general appearance of a plant — all the characters combined — 

 decides the question. 



The large, showy, but scentless flowers of this species appear 

 with the first approach of spring, and often in the fall if that 

 season be mild. Some Violets, and those of this species more 

 especially, have the power of perfecting seeds without making 

 flowers, in the popular sense of the word. Early in the spring 

 we have the complete flower, formed of calyx, corolla, stamens, 

 and pistil; but as the season advances the petals are not pro- 

 duced and the calyx remains closed. The anthers, however, 

 perfect a small quantity of pollen, sufflcient to fertilize the 

 ovaries, and seed is produced in this way in abundance. This 

 process, in the Violet under consideration, often goes on when the 

 flower-bud is completely under ground. Many plants are now 

 known to have flowers of this character, and on account of these 

 " secret marriages," as the poets say, are called clcistogamous 

 plants. It is interesting to note the transition from one of these 

 conditions to the other in the fall of the year. The cleistogene 

 flowers are most abundant in summer, and are often all that are 

 produced at that season ; but towards the autumn, a flower will 

 be found with but one petal, another with two or more, till late 

 in winter, or towards spring, the complete flowers appear. It has 

 already been noted that the pollen in the cleistogene flowers is 

 very small in quantity. A very interesting physiological fact has 

 recently been made public by Dr. Kunze, of New York. The 

 seeds from these flowers are borne in great abundance, while 

 there are only about twelve pollen-grains in each anther. From 

 this it would seem that a single pollen-grain is capable of fertil- 

 izing more than one ovule, — certainly a very remarkable fact, if 

 it should be proved beyond doubt. 



Thoush the Common Blue Violet is so well known, and is natu- 

 rally so variable, it has not given much to the florist so far; some 

 white and violet-striped ones are under cultivation, but this is all. 



There are, however, many marked varieties wild, of which we 

 give a few specimens in our plate, and there is no doubt but that, 



