126 BOTANICAL NOTES, NOTICES, AND QUERIES. [April, 



BOTANICAL NOTES, NOTICES, AND QUERIES. 

 Viola hirta and V. odorata. 



Boreau, in his third edition (185?) of the 'Flore du Centre de la 

 Erance,' describes no less than fifteen species of Yiolets belonging to a sec- 

 tion where in England we acknowledge only two distinct plants.* 



As the detailed descriptions are somewhat lengthy, and might not be 

 acceptable to all the readers of the ' Phytologist,' we need not inflict them 

 in fnll. 

 - Suflice it to say that, however fanciful may appear the distinctions of the 

 foreign botanists, no one who is desirous of claiming a thorough acquaint- 

 ance with a variable species, can afibrd to remain ignorant of what are 

 by some eminent botanists considered important characters. Whether 

 these be sufficient to establish a species or not, it should surely be our 

 endeavour to test their value upon om* own soil, and so try to disprove 

 their permanence, rather than to scout them without investigation. The 

 so-called species are thus arranged dichotomously. 



3. Stem seuding out long, creeping, leaf-bearing scions 7 



Creeping scions absent, or nearly so 4 



4. Ovary or fruit downy or haiiy 5 



Ovary or fruit glabrous F. sciaphila. 



5. Flower slightly scented, stipules fringed with hairs as long as their own width 



V. collina. 

 Flower scentless, cilia not so long as the diameter of the stipule .... 6 



6. Plant hairy, flowers bluish-violet Y. hirta. 



Plant closely downy, flowers lilac V. Foudrasi. 



7. Adult leaves ovate-oblong, more or less pointed . 9 



Leaves nearly orbicular, very blunt 8 



8. Flower bluish-violet or white, capsule depressed . . . .V. odoeata. 

 Flower flesh-coloured or lilac, capsule ovate V. Subcarnea. 



9. Peduncles glabrous, or clothed with close down 10 



Peduncle pilose throughout V. dumetorum. 



10. Stipules with fringes of their own width 11 



Fringes far shorter than the diameter of stipule 12 



11. Adult leaves dull green, spur and capsule violet ... . . V/scotophila. 

 Leaves bright green, spur not colom-ed, capsule greenish . . V. virescens. 



12. Stipules hairy all over, stolons numerous, rooting .... F. multicaulis. 

 Stipules fringed only, stolons few 13 



13. Sepals fringed at their edges 14 



Sepals glabrous at theii" edges 15 



14. Flowers scentless, petals much attenuated at the claw, capsule small or abor- 



tive F. abortiva. 



Flowers scented, petals little narrowed, capsule rounded . F. vinealis. 



* The specific distinctness of these two has been doubted by some eminent 

 British botanists. See ' Phytologist,' N. s., vol. i. p. 76, and Cybele Brit. vol. i. 

 p. 175. 



