610 



1. Gerarde's Violet is readily distinguished from the other two, by- 

 its short, upright, central stem ; from which the flowering branches 

 are produced laterally, and extended almost horizontally, though as- 

 cending towards their extremities. On luxuriant plants, in damp and 

 shaded situations, these flowering branches are occasionally a foot 

 and upwards in length ; but they are annual only, and die back to 

 the main stem in winters of ordinary severity. The leaves are thin 

 and flexible, broadly cordate ; the upper more or less attenuating 

 into a point ; the lower occasionally cordate-reniform. The flowers 

 are lilac-purple, varying into very pale lilac. The green colour of the 

 plant has a yellower cast than in the other species. The capsules are 

 longer in proportion to their breadth, but too variable to afford a safe 

 character. This is undoubtedly the V. canina of Smith, and is the 

 species figured in ' English Botany,' 620. The figure would have 

 been quite characteristic, though curtailed, if the artist had not omit- 

 ted the two or three leaves which should have appeared from between 

 the stipules which are represented as terminating the central stem. 

 A very small form of the same species, my " dwarf violet," is given 

 in the ' Supplement to English Botany,' 2736, as the Viola flavicornis 

 of Smith, on the authority of the late Mr. E. Forster. This was an 

 error, as I have already shown in the ' Phytologist,' ii. 1018. To 

 Gerarde's Violet must be referred the V. canina of Babington's Ma- 

 nual, first edition, with the first and second varieties, sylvatica and 

 pusilla, but not the other varieties. In its large form, it is the Viola 

 sylvatica of the second edition of the Manual ; and in its ordinary 

 and dwarf forms, it is inextricably confused with the V. canina and 

 variety pusilla of the same work, as shown by the references to the 

 figures of ' English Botany ;' though the description is misapplied, 

 and does not belong to the same species as the figures which are re- 

 ferred to. 



2. Dillenius' Violet is known from the preceding species by the 

 want of the short central and sterile stern. The flowering branches 

 are produced by repeated subdvisions of the stem itself, and are not 

 lateral growths from it. Though partially dying back in winter, these 

 branches are perennial at their bases, and the plant thus acquires 

 something of the habit of a very dwarf shrub. The leaves are thick 

 and rather rigid, variable in shape, with a cordate base, mostly inclin- 

 ing to ovate, if small or early, and to triangular-ovate, if large or pro- 

 duced later. The flowers are blue, or bluish purple, varying through 

 very pale blue into whitish. The prevailing colour of the leaves and 

 whole plant is a dark grayish or bluish green. In its dwarf form, this 



