VIOLA palmata. 

 Palmate leaved Violet. 



Class and Order. Pextandria Monogyxia. 

 Syn. Viola palmata. Pursh Flo. N. A. vol. i. p. 172. 

 — Viola palmata. Nuttall's Gen. N. A. vol. i. p. 147. 



Root tuberous— leaves radical, on very long petioles, palmate, lobes deeply 

 dentate— peduncles one flowered, radical, tinged with purple— calyx 

 five segments linear acute— corolla blue lilac, paler on the under side, 

 petals five, broad, obtuse, pencilled at the base with a darker shade, 

 lower part of the middle petal terminating in a spur— stamens five, 

 anthers obtuse— style slender, stigma globose. 



The o-enus Viola is a very numerous one, and can boast of many 

 ornamental species — endless varieties are constantly raised from seed, 

 chiefly of Viola tricolor, though these may at first vary, there is 

 little dependance to be placed on them, as they frequently return to 

 the orio-inal species; the number of distinct species, however, is very 

 consideiable, amongst which is the one figured ; a desirable plant for 

 the front of the borders where it will remain in beauty for a long 

 tinie— it is a native of North America, and according to the Bot. 

 Cab. p. 1471, grows on dry hills from New England to Virginia. 

 Prof. Nuttall says in his genera of North American plants, vol. i. p. 

 147, " the o-enus Viola within its proper limits, is almost equally 

 divided betwixt Europe and the temperate parts of North America." 

 This species was first brought into this country in 1739, though still 

 a scarce plant in our gardens : — the Violas are all well adapted for 

 rock work, and flourish most in a light rich soil and shady situation. 

 They may be increased either by parting the roots, by cuttings, or by 

 seeds ; the latter of which are produced in great abundance, and are 

 dispersed by the peculiar elasticity of the capsule, which as soon as 

 its contents are matured, ejects them with considerable force, some- 

 times to a great distance. Some of the most beautiful species are 



V. pedata. prsemorsa. 



— altaica. flabelliflora. 



— hederacea. primulifolia. 



— lutea. grandiflora. 



— blanda. lanceolata. 



— uniflora. Nuttallii. 



— odorata. 



— cornuta. 

 PI. 15. 



