II,.] VIOLA CE^. 163, 



10. Natural Older, Violacece. — The Violet Family. 



Trees, shrubs, or herbs with alternate stipulate leaves. 

 Sepals 5. Petals 5. Stamens 5, connective usually dilated 

 or prolonged above the anther-cells. Ovary one-celled; 

 placentas three. 



Type — Any species of Violet or Pansy ( Viola). 

 Low herbs, with alternate or radical, stipulate, simple 

 leaves, and axillary, solitary, irregular flowers. 



Observe the " spur " of the lower petal, technically the 

 upper one, though the lower in position, owing to the flower 

 being inverted {resiipinate) : the small, almost apetalous. 

 closed flowers of some species, appearing 

 after the large flowers are past ; they are 

 self-fertilized, and bear fruit with numerous 

 seeds : the dehiscence of the fruit in three 

 valves by the dorsal sutures of the car- 

 pels, so that each valve bears a parietal 

 row of seeds. 



A marked Sub-type of this Family 

 [Alsodeia) occurs in the Khasia hiiis, 



M 2 



Fig. 109. Transverse 

 section of ovary of 

 Viola, showing three 

 parietal multiovulate 

 placentas. 



