122 THE VIOLET FAMILY. 



HABITATS AND LOCALITIES. 



1. Common Weld-wokt — {Reseda Luteola.) 



Very rare. On banks by HoUins Ferry, on the Cheshire side 



of the river, and between there and Warburton, near the water. 



(February, 1858.) Lime Pits, Bedford, every year. (G. H.) Fl. July. 



Biennial. 



E. B. V. 320. 



2. Yellow Weld-woet — {Reseda lutea.) 

 Very rare. Sandy lanes at Statham, near Lymm. (Mrs. Brownell.) 

 Bowdon, near the Independent Chapel on Rose Hill. Irwell bank, 

 near Irlam, every year. (J. S.) Fl. July, August. 

 E. B. V. 321; Baxter i. 15. 



The tall and ^veiij Reseda fniticulosa, (E. B., Siipp. i. 2628.) distinguished by 

 the glaucous hue of its pinnate leaves, and white flowers, is occasionally seen 

 in gardens, but in general only the typical species, or true mignonette, which 

 is also the only fragrant one. 



XVII.— THE VIOLET FAMILY. Violdcea. 



Of this family there are two distinct sections, one confined to South 

 America, shrubby in habit, and with regular flowers ; the other com- 

 prising herbaceous plants, of northern temperate latitudes, with the 

 flowers not regular. The latter, which alone concern us here, present 

 the following characters : — Stems slender, three to twelve inches high, 

 but often procumbent ; leaves simple, petiolate, and stipuled ; flowers 

 solitary, on long peduncles, yellow, blue, purple, or white, or with a 

 mixture of all these colours ; sepals five, generally enlarged at the 

 base ; petals five, unequal, the lower one with a protuberance, or some- 

 times a tail or "spur." Stamens five, their anthers short, • broad, 

 crested, and united in a ring ; ovarj' single, one-celled ; stigma 

 oblique ; capsule three-valved, with numerous shining seeds. 



The exotic members of the family are in some cases medicinal in 

 their roots, supplying ipecacuanha, but the European ones, though 

 similar in properties, .are of very. slight importance, except for the 

 neatness and variety of their copious flowers. 



Nine species grow wild in England, and six of them near Man- 

 chester. 



