320 VIOLACEAE (VIOLET FAMILY) 



the blade 5-6 mm. long, equaling the claw: stamens 6: ovules 1 to each of 

 the 3 placentae. Southern Colorado and southward. 



75. HYPERICACEAE Lindl. ST. JOHN'S-WORT FAMILY 



Herbs (in ours), with opposite, entire leaves, punctate with translucent or 

 dark-colored glandular dots, no stipules, and perfect flowers with 5 petals and 

 numerous stamens, the fruit a many-seeded capsule. Sepals 5, imbricate. 

 Petals convolute, glandular-punctate. Stamens very numerous, in 3 bundles. 

 Styles 2-5. 



1. HYPERICUM L. ST. JOHN'S-WORT 



In our species the capsule is 3-celled by the union of the placenta with the 

 axis, septicidal. The flowers yellow, with black dots. 



1. Hypericum formosum H.B.K. Nov. Gen. and Sp. 5: 196. 1815-25. 

 Perennial, herbaceous, branched above, 2-6 dm. high: leaves oblong-obovate, 

 closely sessile or clasping, usually obtuse, 1-3 cm. long, glandular-dotted near 

 margin on the underside: flowers in panicled cymes: sepals oval to oblong, 

 obtuse or acute, about 4 mm. long: petals obovate, 10-14 mm. long: stamens 

 numerous, in 3 bundles; the anthers black-dotted as are the petals and sepals: 

 styles 3, long and distinct. H. Scouleri Hook. Stream banks and wet mead- 

 ows; Mexico to Wyoming and westward. 



76. VIOLACEAE DC. VIOLET FAMILY 



Herbs with simple, alternate, stipulate leaves and complete flowers, which 

 are more or less irregular. Sepals 5. Petals 5, imbricated in the bud. Sta- 

 mens 5, the filaments short and broad and bearing the connivent anthers on 

 their inner face. Style more or less club-shaped and abruptly bent at apex. 

 Ovary becoming a 3-valved capsule with parietal placentae. After opening 

 the valves fold together lengthwise, forcibly dislodging the rather large, hard- 

 coated seeds. 



Sepals auricled at base; lower petal spurred . . . . . .1. Viola. 



Sepals not auricled at base 2. Hybanthus. 



1. VIOLA L. VIOLET 



Perennial or rarely annual herbs, with alternate, stipulate leaves. The 

 flowers scapose or on axillary peduncles, often of two kinds; the early ones 

 with showy petals and sometimes sterile; the later ones cleistogamous and 

 more usually fertile. Sepals 5, often auricled at base. Petals 5, unequal, the 

 lower one produced into a nectariferous spur at base. Filaments short or 

 wanting; the anthers distinct but more or less connivent and the two upper 

 with spur-like appendages produced into the spur of the lower petal. Style 

 usually enlarged upward. Capsule oval to oblong, usually crustaceous, 

 3-valved. 



Perennials; stipules never leaf-like, small and often scarious. 



Leaves deeply parted or divided 1. V. pedatifida. 



Leaves entire, crenate, or dentate. 

 Flowers evidently yellow. 



Leaves cordate-reniform . . . . . . 2. V. biflora. 



Leaves ovate to lance-linear. 



Coarsely toothed or angularly lobed 3. V. atriplicifolia. 



Entire or remotely denticulate. 



Plants small and prostrate or spreading. 



Leaves linear-lanceolate 4. V. Nuttallii. 



Leaves ovate to subcordate . . . . 5. V. vallicolft. 



