58 VIOLET FAMILY. 



5 petals, and 5 stamens ; the claws of the petals sometimes slightly united : 



ovary one-celled with three parietal placentae, a single style and stigma. 



Fruit a globular woody pod, many-seeded. 



P. Toblra, Common P. A low tree, cultivated as a house-plant (from 

 Japan), with obovate and retuse evergreen leaves crowded at the end of 

 the branches, which are terminat;ed by a small sessile umbel of white fragrant 

 flowers, produced in winter. 



14. VIOLACE^, VIOLET FAMILY. 



Commonly known only by the principal genus of the order, viz. 



1. VIOLA, VIOLET. (Ancient Latin name.) Sepals 5, persistent. Pet- 

 als 5, more or less unequal, the lower one with a sac or spur at the base. 

 (Lessons, p. 91, fig. 181, 182.) Stamens 5, short: the very broad flat fila- 

 ments conniving and slightly cohering around the pistil, which they cover, 

 all but the end of the style and the (usually one-sided) stigma, bearing the 

 anthers on their inner face, two of these spurred at the base. Ovary and pod 

 1-celled, with 3 parietal placentae, containing several rather large seeds. — 

 Herbs, with stipules to the alternate leaves, and 1-flowered peduncles. 

 * Stemless Violets, with leaves and peduncles all from creeping or sub- ' 

 terranean rootstocks, there being no proper ascending stems : all powering in 

 spring, also producing inconspicuous Jlowers and most of the fruitful pods, 

 all summer, concealed among the leaves. 



■*- Garden species, from Europe : fmgrant. 

 V. Odorata, Sweet Violet. Cult, from Eu., the tufts spreading by 

 creeping runners ; leaves rounded heart-shaped, more or less downy ; flowers 

 purplc-bhic (violet-color) varying to bluish and white, single or in cultivation 

 commonly full double. Hardy ; while the Italian Violet, the variety used 

 for winter-blooming, Avith leaves smoother and brighter green and flowers paler 

 or grayish-blue, is tender northward. 



-1- -i- Wild species : slightly sweet-scented or scentless. 

 ++ Flowers blue or violet-color. 

 V. Selkirkii, Selkirk's V. Small, only 2' high, the rounded heart- 

 shaped leaves spreading flat on the ground ; the flower large in pi-oportion, its 

 thick s]iur nearly as long as the beardless petals : on shady banks, only N. 



V. sagittata, Arrow-leaved V. One of the commonest and earliest ; 

 leaves varying from oblong-heart-shaped to ovate and often rather halberd- 

 shaped, the earlier ones on short and margined ])etiolcs ; flower large in propor- 

 tion ; spur short and sac-shaped, as in all the following. 



V. CueuUata, Comjion Blue V. The tallest and commonest of the 

 blue violets, in all low grounds, with matted fleshy and scaly-toothed rootstocks, 

 erect and heart-shaped or kidney-shaped obscurely serrate leaves, with the sides 

 at the base rolled in when young, on long petioles ; flowers sometimes pale or 

 variegated with white. 



V. palm^ta, Hand-leaf V., is a variety of the last, Avith the leaves, or 

 all the later ones, .3 - 7-cleft or parted ; common southwai'd. 



V. pedata, Bird-foot V. Grows in sandy or light soil, from a short and 

 thick or tulier-like rootstock ; the leaves all cut into linear divisions or lobes ; 

 the flower large, beardless, usually light violet-color : sometimes the two upjjcr 

 petals deep dark violet, like a pansy. 



V. delphinifdlia, Larkspur-leaved V., takes the place of the preced- 

 ing in prairies, &e. W. and is like it, but has the lateral petals bearded. 

 i-<- ++ Flowers (small) white, the lower petal purplish-veined. 



V. bl^nda, Sweet White V. Very common, with fiiintly sweet-scented 

 flowers, all tlie ])etals beardless; leaves rounded heart-shaped or kidney-shaped. 



V. primulsefblia, Primro.se-leaved V. Common S., between the last 

 and next, has olilong or ovate leaves. 



V. lanceolata, Lance-leaved V. Commonest S., has lanceolate leaves 

 taiiering into long petioles, and beai'dless petals. 



