Violets of the United States. 137 



growth ; and an early or late foliation puts on such different, 

 forms as always to mislead. 



The stigma has been thought by some to afford an exceed- 

 ing good character, but the greatest difference in the form of 

 this organ in any two, even in those where it is most apparent, 

 V. pedata and V. ovata, the two extremes, is but slight. In 

 every species with which I am acquainted, the form of the 

 stigma is essentially the same, and although there maybe some 

 variation, it is scarcely describable. Twenty forms of the 

 same figure may exist, each differing from the other ; but ex- 

 cept by actual measurement, and comparison of the parts, we 

 cannot point out in what the difference consists. Any number 

 of ellipses for instance, may be taken, all differing in their ec- 

 centricity, and we may say that one is oblong and another 

 very oblong, yet these expressions being merely relative, leave 

 no accurate or definite idea, unless the proportion between the 

 two axes is discoverable. 



Having premised these things, more as an excuse for any 

 imperfections that may be found in what is to follow, than as 

 attempting to point out new characteristics, I proceed to an 

 enumeration of the species. 



A. 



Viola? sic dicta? acaules q. d. caulibus non e terra surgenti- 

 bus, sed quasi subterraneis : stipulis basilaribus, subulatis vel 

 lanceolato-subulatis, ciliatis, ssepissime membranaceis : pe- 

 duncularibus parvis subulatis. 



§ 1. Foliis plus minus reniformibus, semper cordatis, junto- 

 ribus cucullatis ; proprio corolla, colore violaceo. 



1. V. cucullata, Willd. De Cand. 



Glabra : foliis cordatis, subacuminatis, crenato-dentatis, 

 autumnalibus majoribus, acuratissime reniformibus : pedun- 

 culis subtetragonis, foliis longioribus : calycis sepalis subula 

 tis, acuminatis, postice emarginatis, aut integerrimis ; petalis 

 (sicut in plurimis speciebus Americanis) obliquis, venosis, 



