70 BRITISH BOTANY. 



the flower. Sepals five, prolonged at the base. Petals five, un- 

 equal, the lower one prolonged into a spur, the two lateral ones 

 bearded above the claw. Stamens connivent, on very short, en- 

 larged filaments. Style undivided, geniculate, ascending, turgid, 

 perforated at the apex. 



Sect. I. The spurred and two lateral petals erect, the other two horizontal or 

 pendulous ; stigma with a hooked and usually pointed beak, 

 t Stemless, or nearly so. 



V. odorata, Lin. Sweet Violet. — e.b. 619. l.b.s. 133. 



A. 15. C. 60. Lat. 50-57°. Alt. 0-300 yds. Tern. 51-47°. 



Root fleshy and fibrous, stoloniferous. Leaves radical or on 

 the rooting stolons, deeply cordate, reniform, or ovate, crenulate, 

 pubescent. Stipules lanceolate, ciliate, scarious, or herbaceous. 

 Flowers blue or white, very odoriferous. Peduncles of the fruit 

 reclining. Capsule roundish, hairy. 



Shady and grassy places. Per. ; March-May. 



The stolons often bear abortive flowers as well as leaves, which 

 shows that the tendency of the plant is to become caulescent. 



V. hirta, Lin. Hairy Violet. — e.b. 894. l.b.s. 134. 

 A. 14. C. 50. Lat. 50-57°. Alt. 0-200 yds. Tern. 51-47°. 



Root without stolons. Leaves like those in V. odorata, but 

 hairy; stipules lanceolate, acute, feebly fringed. Sepals ovate, 

 rounded at the apex. Petals slightly notched (emarginate), the 

 lateral pair closely fringed. Capsule downy. 



On chalky banks. Common. Per. ; April, May. 



Mr. Baker, in the new series of the ' Phytologist,' pp. 76-79, 

 maintains the identity of the two usually received species, and as- 

 serts that " they are modifications of a single specific type produced 

 by the infiuences of situation." We cannot say that they are dis- 

 tinct species, as species is commonly understood, nor can we say 

 that they are identical, but our own observations are rather cor- 

 roborative of the latter view. We do not remember ever seeing 

 the two species or varieties together, but we have often noticed 

 the absence of V. odorata where V. hirta begins to make its first 

 appearance. 



V. palustris, Lin. Marsh Violet. — e.b. 444. l.b.s. 132. 

 A. 18. C. 70. Lat. 50-60°. Alt. 0-1300 yds. Tern. 50-34°. 



Roots creeping, rhizomatous, without stolons. Leaves rounded, 

 reniform, delicate, smooth, with shallow notches (crenatures), and 

 often purplish on the under sides. Stipules ovate, acuminate. 



