448 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



hypogynous, equal or unequal, one usually spurred. Stamens 

 equal in number to the petals {fig. 778), and usually alternate 



Fig. 873. Fig. 874. ^^^^ .*/^^™' °^, J^^^^y 



^ • '^ opposite, inserted on a 



hypogynous disk, often 

 unequal; anthers 2- 

 celled, sometimes uni- 

 ted (fig. 873), burst- 

 ing inwards ; filaments 

 short and broad {fig. 

 873), and elongated, so 

 as to project beyond 

 the anthers {fig. 512) ; 

 when the flowers are 

 irregular, two of the 



anthers are spurred at 

 Fig. 873. Essential organs of the Pansy (F/o^a ,-, ■, , r j,-on 



tricoior). St. Obliquely hooded stigma. «. United Liie Dase [^Jjg. ^(6). 



RTithers, two having long appendages helow. Ovary 1-celled, With 3 



Fig. 874. vertical section of the seed ,>f the Pansy, p^^- ^^.^^ placentas (^^. 



778); style single, iisually declinate {fig. 427); stigma capitate, 

 oblique, hooded {fig. 873, st); ovules usually numerous {fig. 

 427, 0, o). Fruit capsular, 3-valved, dehiscence loculicidal; 

 placentas on the middle of the valves {fig. 667). Seeds usually 

 numerous (j?9'. 667), sometimes definite; embryo straight, erect, 

 in the axis of fleshy albumen {fig. 874). 



Diagnosis. — Herbs or shrubs. Leaves simple, stipulate, and 

 with involute vernation. Sepals, petals, and stamens, 5 each, 

 hypogynous. Stamens all perfect ; anthers introrse with the 

 filaments prolonged beyond them, and sometimes having appen- 

 dages below. Ovary 1-celled, with 3 parietal placentas; style 

 and stigma single. Fruit 1-celled, dehiscing by 3 valves, each 

 valve bearing a placenta in its middle. Seeds having a straight 

 erect embryo in the axis of fleshy albumen. 



Division of the Order, and Examples of the Genera. — The order 

 has been divided into two sub-orders as follows : — 

 vSub-order 1. ViolecB. — Having irregular flowers, and appendaged 



anthers. Examples : — Viola, lonidium. 

 Sub-order 2. Alsodece. — With regular flowers, and anthers not 



furnished with appendages. Examples ;— Alsodeia, Pentaloba. 



Distribution and Numbers. — The herbaceous plants of the sub- 

 order Violege are chiefly natives of Europe, Siberia, and North 

 America ; the shrubby mostly of South America. _ The Alsodese 

 are exclusively natives of South America, Africa, and Ma- 

 lacca. There are about 300 species belonging to the order 

 Violacese. 



Properties and Uses. — The plants of this order are chiefly 

 remarkable for emetic and purgative properties. A few also are 



