OUR VIOLETS. 98 
Fig.2. entertained that by diligent search it may 
be detected in the county, if not in our own 
} immediate neighbourhood. It may be remarked 
ALY é\ that Professor Babington describes the flowers 
of V. Retchenbachiana as ‘‘lilac;” while those of 
V. Riviniana are “blue.” The aggregate species, 
V. sylvatica, is the Violet to which the name Dog 
Violet is most usually applied. A white-flowered 
variety was found near Wycombe last year by F. Wheeler, Esq., 
and is described at p. 16; but this form is of rare occurrence. 
Tue Dog Vioier (Viola canina) is a somewhat puzzling species, 
and in very many respects resembles V. sylvatica. The flowers 
have less of the purple tinge than those of that species; and the 
spur is yellowish-white. The only form which I have seen in our 
district is V. flavicornis, Sm., which grows, or at any rate, used to 
grow, in great plenty on Wycombe Heath; I believe I have also 
noticed it on Keep Hill. In the Wew Botanists’ Guide, it is stated 
to grow “‘ near Hitcham, Dropmore, and Burnham Gore Lane,” all 
inthe county. It seems to prefer dry, open places, and is not very 
common. Professor Babington characterises V. canina as having 
the ‘‘primary and lateral stems flowering and lengthening ;” 
while in V. sylvatica the flowering branches are “‘ axillary from a 
‘short flowerless central rosette of leaves.” Careful investigation 
_ will, in nearly all cases, render the seemingly slight differences 
between the Wood and the Dog Violet sufficiently spparent. 
_ Tse Hearr’s-zase orn Pansy (Viola tricolor) is the last of our 
Violets, and must be almost as familiar as the Sweet Violet to 
our readers. Its habit is, however, very different from that of 
the preceding species; and it also differs from them in being an 
annual: in short, were it not for the blossoms, we should hardly 
recognise the Heart’s-ease as atrue Violet. The flowers, in order 
_ to bear out the specific name, should be of three colours—purple, 
_ blue, and yellow, or blue, yellow, and white: but this form is 
comparatively rare with us, although occasionally to be met with 
in cornfields. The variety termed V. arvensis is the more common 
with us, in which the petals are small, and either yellow or 
white; but it is difficult to lay down any differences of sufficient 
re” A 
