Vioua. XVI. VIOLACEZ, 175 
rac. terminal and lateral; jis. sessile, those of the stem winged, those of the root 
apterous.—%| Fields and pastures, Can. to Flor. and La. Stems crowded, 
many from the same root, angular, smooth. Leaves smooth, lower obovate, 
upper linear-lanceolate, obtuse, sessile. Flowers, crested, purple, smaller than 
the last. Wings of the calyx obtuse. Anthers 8, in 2 equal parcels. Bracts 
small, subulate, caducous. ‘Terminal racemes with perfect flowers, radical 
racemes prostrate or subterraneous, wingless and nearly apetalous. Jn. JlL— 
Bitter and tonic. 
*** Flowers large, few. 
10. P. pauciFouia. Iringed Polygala. 
St. simple, erect, naked below; /vs. ovate, acute, smooth; terminal fis. 
large, crested, radical ones apterous.—2| A small, handsome plant, with a few 
rather large purple flowers. Woods and swamps, Brit. Am. to Ga. Stems 
3—4’ high, with its acute leaves mostly near the top, 2—4 flowers above them. 
Calyx of 5 leaves, the upper one gibbous at base. Corolla mostly purple, with 
a purplish crest on its middle lobe. The radical flowers are either close to the 
ground or’subterraneous, smaller, greenish, wanting the wings of the calyx. May. 
~Orver XVII. VIOLACEA®.—Vioters. 
Plants herbaceous or shrubby. ; : ; ; 
Lvs. simple, alternate, sometimes opposite, stipulate, involute in vernation. 
Cal.—Sepals 5, persistent, slightly united, elongated at base, the 2 lateral interior, 
Cor.—Petals 5, commonly unequal, the inferior usually spurred at base. 
Sita. 5, usually inserted on the hypogynous disk. Fi. dilated, prolonged beyond the anth. 
Ova. of 3 united carpels, with 3 parietal placente. Sty.1, declinate. Stis. cucullate. 
Fr. a3-valved capsule. Sds. many, with a crustaceous testa and distinct chalaza. 
Genera 11, species 300, mostly inhabitants of the Northern Temperate Zone. The roots of almost all 
the Violacee possess emetic properties, and some are valued in medicine. The Ipecac of the shops is 
partly the product of certain Brazilian species of Ionidium. Several species of the violet are cultivated 
Eo the beauty-of their flowers. Of the 4 genera found in North America, only 2 are found in the Northern 
tates. 
Genera. ” 
Sepals unequal, more or lessauricledatbase. . =. .° .« . 2. «© « « ao. Viola ¥ 
Sepals nearly equal, not auricled at base. Pee 4 TUPI ASS Oe ore 
i VIOLA 
Sepals 5, oblong, acute, equal, auricular at base ; petals 5, irregular, 
the upper one (lower by resupination) broadest, spurred at base. the 
2 lateral equal, opposite; stamens approximate; anthers connate, the 
lobes diverging at base; capsule 1-celled, 3-valved, seeds attached to. 
the valves.—%4 Low herbaceous plants, acaulescent or caulescent.  Pe- 
duncles angular, solitary, \-flowered, recurved at the summit so as to bear 
the flowers in a reswpinate position. 
* Acaulescent. Flowers blue. 
1. V. Sevxrrau. Goldie. Selkirk’s Violet. 
Ivs. cordate, crenately serrate, minutely hirsute above, smooth beneath; 
the sinus deep and nearly closed; stig. triangular, margined, distinctly beaked ; 
spur nearly as long as the lamina, thick, very obtuse——Grows on woody hills 
and mountains, Mass:, N. Y., Can. A small, stemless violet, with small pale 
blue flowers conspicuously spurred. ‘The radical, heart-shaped leaves are 
rather numerous and longer than the peduncles. The lateral petals bearded, 
and with the upper one striate with deep blue. - 
_ 2. V. cucunnata. Ait. (V. affinis. Le Conte.) Hood-leaved Violet. 
‘Smooth, sometimes more or less pubescent; ws. cordate, cucullate at 
base, crenate; stip. linear; inferior and lateral petals bearded.—This is one of 
the more common kinds of violet, found in low, grassy woods, from Arctic Am. 
to Flor. Leaves on long petioles, heart-shaped, remarkably rolled at the base 
into a hooded form. The late leaves are crenate-reniform.. Flowers light blue 
or purple, with scapes somewhat 4-sided, longerthan the leaves. Petals twisted, 
