44 VIOLACE^l. [Vioi,A. 



ovules many on 3 parietal placentas, anatropous. Fruit a 3-valvcd capsule 

 rarely a berry, many-seeded. Seeds small, -fun icle short, albumen flt->liy : 

 embryo straight, cotyledons flat. DISTRIB. Temp, and trop. regions; 

 genera 21, species 240. AFFINITIES with Bixinece, Passiftorecc, and/'/ ///.. 

 niacecc. PROPERTIES. Emetic and laxative. 



1. vi OLA, L. VIOLET, PANSY, HEARTSEASE. 



Low herbs, rarely shrubs. Leaves radical or alternate. Flowers on 1 - 

 rarely 2-flowered peduncles. Sepals sub-equal, produced at the base. 

 Petals erect or spreading; lower largest, spurred or saccate at the base. 

 Anthers connate, connectives of the 2 lower stamens often spurred at tin- 

 base. Style swollen above, straight or oblique at the tip, stigma obtuse or 

 cup-shaped. Capsule 3-valved ; valves elastic. Seeds ovoid or globose. 

 DISTRIB. All temp, regions ; species 100. ETTM. The old Latin n:um-. 

 Flowers often dimorphic, the large-petalled flowering early and oftt-n 

 yielding no seed; the small-petalled or apetalous flower late, and are very 

 prolific. 



SECTION 1. Nomimium. Upper petals directed forwards. AV /</"' 

 obliquely beaked. Apetalous autumnal flowers chiefly fertile. Stipules 

 not leafy. 



* Stem very short. Leaves etilarging'after flowering. Sepals obtuse. 



1. V. pains tr is, L. ; glabrous, rootstock subterranean r.reeping, lc;i\cs 

 reniform-cordate, style straight, stigma obliquely truncate, fruiting pe- 

 duncles erect. 



Swamps and bogs, ascending to 4,000ft. in the Highlands, rarer in the south of 

 England ; fl. April-July. llootstork white, scaly ; runners short, leafk-s. 

 Leaves slightly crenate ; stipules glandular. Floicerx in. diam. , white or 

 lilac, scentless ; spur short, obtuse. Lateral petals almost glabrous. Ant fur 

 spurs short. DISTRIB. Temp. Arctic and sub- Arctic Europe, Asia, and 

 America. 



2. V. odora'ta, L. ; slightly hairy or downy, runners very long, leaves 

 broadly cordate, spur nearly straight, style hooked, stigma oblique. Sweet 



Violet. 



Hedgebanks and copses, wild in E. and S.E. England, naturalized elsewhere, 

 perhaps native of E. Ireland ; fl. March-May. lloolstock short, scarred. 

 Leaves deeply cordate at the base, sinus closed ; stipules glandular. AV/cv. 

 at or about the middle of the peduncle. Flowers fragrant, blue, white, or 

 red-purple ; lateral petals with or without atuftof hairs ; spur short, olitu.-i-. 

 .1 ntkeripwrt linear-oblong. Capsule pubescent, pedicels decurved. DISTKIB. 

 Europe, N. Africa, N. and W. Asia to the Himalaya. 



3. V. hir'ta, L. ; pubescent, rootstock very short, runners short or 0, 

 leaves subtriangular-cordate, spur hooked, style hooked, stigma oblique. 

 Dry soils, local, chiefly in the E. counties from Forfar southwards, ascending 



to near 1 ,000 ft. in Yorkshire ; fl. April-June. Very near V. odorata, and 

 perhaps a variety of it, but more tufted and hairy, leaves narrower and more 

 triangular, with deeper crenatures and a shallower sinus ; bracts lower on 

 the peduncle ; spur long and hooked ; flowers inodorous or faintly scented. 

 DISTRIB. Europe, N. and W. Asia to N.W. India. 

 VAK. 1, calca'rea, Bab.; petals narrow. Gogmagog Hills. VAR. 2, sepia',-<>ln. 



