69 



A NEW VIOLET FROM WASHINGTON. 



By C. V. Piper. 



In a collection of plants from the Olympic Mountains recently 

 sent mc by Mr. J. 1>. Flett occurs a handsome violet that can not 

 referred to any d< species. Mr. Flett states that "it 



grows in crevices of volcanic rock at an altitude of 6,000 feet, 

 almost always accompanied by the beautiful little Campanula aurita 

 Greene. The very appropriate name of Rock -Violet is bestowed 

 upon it by* the few tourists who enter the mountains." It is a 

 pleasure to dedicate the plant to its enthusiastic discoverer. 



Viola Flettii. Stems two to several, from upright or horizontal 

 seal f root-stocks, these abundantly covered with rather stout roots, 

 the stems 10-15 cm. high, bearing from 2 to 4 leaves near the summit, 

 which are just exceeded by the flowers borne in their axils; leaves 

 thickish, the veins not obscure, broadly reniform, serrate with blunt 

 closely appressed teeth, the terminal tooth large and making a 

 rather conspicuous blunt apex to the leaf; radical two or three in 

 number, 2-2| cm. long, by 3-4 cm. wide, on petioles about 10 cm. 

 long; stipules broadly lanceolate, scarious, about 6 mm. long; 

 cauliue leaves similar but usually longer in proportion to the 

 breadth, 1-2 cm. long, by 1-2J cm. broad on petioles 2-3 cm. long 

 or the uppermost shorter; stipules purplish, deltoid-ovate, acute, 



4 mmJlong; flowers 2 to 4, one in the axil of each of the cauline 

 leaves which are exceeded by the peduncles; petals lavender- 

 violet, yellow at base with dark purple veins, 12-14 mm. long; 

 lateral petals sparsely papillose bearded at base; spur short and 

 blunt; sepals lanceolate, obtuse, 3-uerved, minutely puberulent, 



5 mm. long; style thickened upwards, the stigma obliquely an- 

 trorse, not beaked or bearded, though a few papillose hairs occur 

 near the apex ; fruit not seen. 



Collected July 20, 1897, in the Olympic Mountains near Mount 



:e. Excepting the flowers the whole plant is perfectly 



brous. This species seems most nearly related to V. cuneata 



Watson, though in aspect the plant more closely resembles V. 



glabella Nuttall. 



Erythea, Vol. VI, No. 7 [31 July, 1898]. 



