VIOLARIEjE. 



317 



pendage (f. 64. e.~) or nectarial glands, which are drawn in within 

 the spur or hollow (f. 63. d.). Ovary 1-celled, many-seeded (f. 

 62. g. f. 66. rf.) or rarely 1 -seeded from abortion. Placentas 3, 

 parietal, one in the middle of each valve, opposite the 3 exterior 

 petals. Style 1, permanent, usually declinate, perforated, and 

 recurved at the top, and therefore the stigma is somewhat lateral 

 (f. 64. _/*.). Capsule 3-valved (f. 62. g.~), the valves generally open- 

 ing from the apex to the base, usually with elasticity. The seeds 

 have 3 coverings, the outer one is membranous, more or less 

 thickened at the hilum into a caruncle ; umbilical vessel united 

 with the epidermis from the hilum to the vertex of the seed, 

 forming a line which is hardly prominent, expanded into a wrinkled 

 areola at the top. Testa crustaceous, brittle, usually smooth, 

 but sometimes striated, rarely scrobiculate ; inner membrane 

 very thin, adhering, usually dotted with brown in the vertex. 

 Albumen fleshy. Embryo straight in the axis of the albumen, 

 with the radicle towards the base of the seed, not towards the 

 hilum, with an inconspicuous plumule, and usually flat cotyle- 

 dons. Herbs, sub-shrubs, or middle-sized shrubs, with alter- 

 nate, rarely opposite leaves, simple, usually involute before ex- 

 pansion, all furnished with stipulas. Flowers erect or drooping, 

 pedunculate, axillary ; peduncles sometimes solitary or numer- 

 ous, 1 -flowered, and bibracteolate ; sometimes branched, with 

 the pedicels 1 -flowered, and bibracteolate, rising singly from the 

 axillae of the bracteas. 



This order comes very near Polygalece, Droseracece and Pas- 

 siflbrece, but differs from Polygalece in the fruit being 1-celled, 

 not 2-celled, in the leaves being furnished with stipulas, not 

 exstipulate, as well as in the anthers being 2-celled, not 1-celled. 

 It differs from Droseracece in the style being solitary, not 3-6, 

 and in the embryo being elongated, as well as in the leaves being 

 involute before expansion, not circinal, and furnished with stipu- 

 las, not exstipulate. It differs from Passiflbrece in tbe fruit 

 being capsular, not baccate, and in the stamens being hypogy- 

 nous, not perigynous, as well as in the anthers being adnate to 

 the middle of the filaments, not fixed by the middle ; stigmas 1 , 

 not 3. The genus Hymenanthera agrees with Polygalece in the 

 pericarp being 1 -seeded; seed pendulous, or the pericarp, ac- 

 cording to Mr. Brown, is 2-celled, and the cells 1 -seeded. The 

 genus Calyptrion, and some species of Noiseltia, agree with 

 Passiflbreee in having twining stems. 



This is a very favourite order with gardeners, consisting, as it 

 chiefly does, of violets ; a great part of which are hardy, her- 

 baceous plants. The tribe Alsodmece consists of tropical trees 

 and shrubs of little beauty, with regular flowers. The roots 

 of all the herbaceous and annual kinds act as emetics like the 

 Ipecacuanha. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



TRIBE I. 



Vio LE* (D. C. prod. \.p. 288.). Petals 5, unequal (f. 64. c.). 

 Sepals 5 (f. 64. a.), in two series, 3 in the outer and 2 in the 

 inner, the last are narrower than the outer series. Pericarp 3- 

 valved(f. 64. k.), dehiscent, nith aplacenta in the middle of each 



valve (f. 62. g.). Stamens alternating nith the petals ; filaments 

 dilated, free, or rarely joined, drawn out beyond the anthers ; 

 therefore the anthers appear as ifjixed to the middle of the Jila- 

 ments on the inner side; cells of anthers opening slowly into 

 2-valves. 



1 CALY'PTRION. Sepals nearly equal (f. 62. a.). Lower 

 petal large, drawn out into a pouch at the base. Stamens 

 free ; appendages of 4 ? anterior anthers, long and filiform, 

 bearded. Capsule trigonal, 1-3 or many-seeded (f. 62. g.). 

 Climbing shrubs. 



2 NOISE'TTIA Sepals unequal (f. 63. e.). Lower petal large 

 (f. 63. &.), drawn out at the base into a long cylindrical tube (f. 

 63. c.). Stamens free ; appendages of the 2 anterior anthers 

 awl-shaped. Capsule obsoletely trigonal, many-seeded. Erect 

 or climbing shrubs. 



3 SCHWEIGGE'RIA. Sepals unequal (f. 64. a.) 3 exterior 

 ones hastately biauriculate at the base. Lower petal large, 

 cordate (f. 64. &.), drawn out at the base into an unequal-sided 

 spur (f. 64. e.). Stamens free, pressed to the ovary ; append- 

 ages of 2 anterior anthers, awl-shapedj (f. 64. e.). Little 

 trees. 



4 VIOLA. Calyx with unequal sepals, all drawn out at the 

 base more or less into ear-like appendages. Lower petal drawn 

 out at the base into a hollow spur. Stamens approximate, the 

 2 anterior anthers furnished with long awl-shaped appendages. 

 Capsule trigonal ; valves opening with elasticity. Usually herbs, 

 rarely small shrubs. 



5 ERPE'TION. In every respect the same as Viola, but the se- 

 pals are hardly drawn out at the base, and the lower petal is not 

 drawn out into a spur at the base ; but furnished with a small 

 gibbosity. Anthers without appendages. Creeping herbs. 



6 SO'LEA. Calyx hardly equal. Lower petal large, with a 

 gibbous base. Stamens approximate, with a nectarial gland on 

 the outside of two of the filaments. A pilose, erect herb. 



7 POMBA'LIA. Sepals of calyx large, with prickly margins. 

 Lower petal long, somewhat gibbous at the base. Stamens 

 free; two of the filaments are furnished each with a nectarial 

 gland at the base. Capsule as in Viola. Erect, villous herbs. 



8 PIGEA. Sepals unequal. Lower petal very large, gibbous 

 at the base. Stamens free, lobes of anthers ending in a bristle. 

 Capsules trigonal. Herbs or sub-shrubs. 



9 IONIDIUM. Sepals unequal. Lower petal large, rather gib- 

 bous or concave at the base. Stamens approximate, the 2 anterior 

 filaments usually furnished each with a nectarial gland at the base. 

 Capsule, as in Viola, elastic. Herbs or sub-shrubs. 



10 HYBA'NTHUS. Sepals unequal. Lower petal long, saccate 

 at the base. Stamens connate at the base, the 2 inferior fila- 

 ments bearing each a large shell-formed gland at the base. Cap- 

 sule obovate, few-seeded. Inelegant shrubs, usually spinose. 



11 ANCHIE'TIA. Calyx deeply 5-parted, unequal. Lower 

 petal large, unguiculate, with a spur at the base. Anthers 

 almost sessile ; 2 lower ones on very short filaments, each drawn 

 out into a filiform appendage on the back. Capsule large, inflated, 

 many-seeded. Erect or climbing shrubs. 



