622 BICKNELL: FERNS AND FLOWERING PLANTS OF NANTUCKET 
if introduced. -In flower June 3, 1909, June 7, 1911. Petioles 
more or less pubescent dorsally, sometimes densely villous, but 
more often glabrous, except towards the base of the blade; blades 
mostly with some pubescence beneath at the base or along the 
veins. When growing in damp shaded yards the leaves are 
thinner and brighter green, resembling those of Viola obliqua; 
plants more deeply set in looser and drier soils have duller leaves 
of thicker texture, the blades broadly reniform with wide sinus 
and rounded to the short-pointed apex, the margins more closely 
erenate-serrate; capsules green. 
VIOLA FIMBRIATULA Sm. 
Excepting Viola pedata no other blue-flowered violet is common 
on Nantucket. Therefore it might be thought that the purity 
of the fimbriatula line would be wholly uncontaminated, and that 
variation in the species might be seen in its intrinsic phases free 
from any influence of hybridization. Nevertheless, the variation 
shown under this insular seclusion is not less remarkable than is 
commonly the case elsewhere, where associated species may be 
supposed to have had their influence. The more common form 
on Nantucket has ovate-oblong subcordate leaves little if 
at all incised and often as long as the petioles. A coarser 
form has longer petioles and larger blades, which become 
5 cm. or more wide across the subtruncate base. In bare 
spots on clayey soil are found very small forms with ovate to 
ovate-lanceolate subentire leaves narrowed into short petioles 
and crowded in a close rosette against the ground. In shade 
among the Miacomet pines there is a form having considerable 
pubescence but otherwise showing something of the aspect of 
Viola sagittata, many of the narrow and long-petioled leaves 
being rather deeply cordate and saliently dentate at the base 
with upcurved acute teeth and, notwithstanding their pubescence, 
appearing bright green and shining on the upper surface; the 
flowers are deep purple with the rather narrow petals often 
crenulate and obscurely pointed. 
A series of Nantucket specimens was submitted to Doctor 
Brainerd who says of them, referring especially to the sagittata- 
like plants: “Your plants are not strictly hybrids but intermediate 
