VIOLACE^. (violet FAMILY.) 33 



sule 1-celled, loculicidally o-valved, many-seeded : valves each beaj'ing 

 a placenta in the middle. Embryo straight, in fleshy albumen. 



1. VIOLA, Tourn. Violet, Heart's-ease. 



Sepals nearly equal, produced at the base into a free appendac^e. Petals 

 unequal, the lower one produced into a sac or spur at the base. Stamens sliort ; 

 the broad filaments membranaceous and jirolonged above the anthers ; the 

 two anterior ones spurred on the back. Stigma often beaked. — Low herbs. 

 Peduncles 1 -flowered. 



§ 1. Leaves and peduncles arising from a subterranean rliizoma, without appar- 

 ent stems: perennials, flowering in earlij spring, the later flowers apetulous. 

 * Flowers blue or purple. 



1. V. CUCUllata, Ait. Smooth or pubescent; leaves long-petioled, all 

 undivided, varying from cordate-ovate to reniform, serrate, the sides at the 

 base involute when young ; the later ones acutish ; lateral petals bearded ; 

 stigma beakless. — Low ground, common. — Flowers blue, often variegated 

 with white. 



2. V. palmata, L. Downy or hairy, rarely smooth ; earliest leaves 

 entire, cordate or reniform ; later ones variously 3 - 9-lobed, the central lobe 

 always largest, lanceolate or oblong, the lateral ones spreading ; flowers large, 

 with the lateral and lower petals bearded. — Dry soil, common. — Flowers 

 purple or blue. 



3. V. villosa, Walt. Downy ; leaves prostrate, short-petioled, orbicular 

 or broadly cordate, crenate, purple-veined ; peduncles mostly shorter than 

 the leaves, flowers small. — Dry sandy or gravelly soil, Florida to North 

 Cai'olina. — Flowers pale blue. 



4. V. sagittata, Ait. Smoothish ; leaves cordate-oblong, acute, toothed 

 and somewhat sagittate at the base, the earliest ones rounded, short-jjetioled ; 

 lateral petals bearded. — Damp pastures in the upper districts. — Flowers 

 larger than in the last, deep blue. 



5. V. pedata, L. Smoothish ; leaves all 7 -9-parted, the divisions linear- 

 lanceolate, entire or toothed, narrowed downward ; petals beardless. — Dry 

 sandy soil in the middle and upper districts. — Flowers large, deep blue or 

 purple. 



* * Flowers ichite. 



6. V. primulsefolia, L. Smooth or hairy ; leaves oblong, mostly acute, 

 crenate, cordate or abruptly decurrent on the winged petiole ; petals often 

 acute, the lower ones bearded and striped with purple. — Low grounds, com- 

 mon. — Rhizoma .slender, and commonly bearing long leafy runners. Flowers 

 small. 



7. V. lanceolata, L. Smooth or pubescent ; leaves lanceolate or lin- 

 ear, narrowed into tlie long and winged petioles ; flowers beardless. — Low 

 pine barrens. — Phizoma like the last. 



8. V. blanda, "Willd. ]\Iinutely pubescent; rhizoma slender; leaves 

 small, orbicular-cordate, crenate, shorter than the peduncles ; flowers small, 



