Viola hirta and V. odorata. 535 



VIOLA HIRTA AND V. ODORATA. 

 [" PHYTOLOGIST," 'April, 1860.] 



BOREAU, in his 3rd edition (1857) of the " Flore du Centre de la 

 France," describes no less than 15 species of Violets belonging to a 

 section where in England we acknowledge only 2 distinct plants.* 



As the detailed descriptions are somewhat lengthy, and might not 

 be acceptable to all the readers of the " Phytologist," we need not 

 inflict them in full. 



Suffice it to say, that however fanciful may appear the distinctions 

 of the foreign botanists, no one who is desirous of claiming a thorough 

 acquaintance with a variable species can afford to remain ignorant of 

 what are by some eminent botanists considered important characters. 

 Whether these be sufficient to establish a species or not, it should 

 surely be our endeavour to test their value upon our own soil, and so 

 try to disprove their permanence, rather than to scout them without 

 investigation. The so-called species are thus arranged dichoto- 

 mously : 



3. Stems sending out long, creeping, leaf-bearing scions, . . 7 

 Creeping scions absent, or nearly so, 4 



4. Ovary of fruit downy or hairy, . . . . . .5 



Ovary of fruit glabrous, . . . * . V. sciaphila. 



5. Flower slightly scented, stipules fringed with 



hairs as long as their own width, . . .V. collina. 



Flower scentless, cilia not so long as the diame- 

 ter of the stipule, -6 



6. Plant hairy, flowers bluish violet, - ,, ,. . V. hirta. 

 Plant closely downy, flowers lilac, . . .V. foudrasi. 



7. Adult leaves ovate-oblong, more or less pointed, . .9 

 Leaves nearly orbicular, very blunt, . > . '- - :*: $ 



8. Flowers bluish violet or white, capsule de- 



pressed, . V. odorata. 



Flowers flesh-coloured or lilac, capsule ovate, . V. subcarnea. 



9. Peduncles glabrous, or clothed with close down, . 10 

 Peduncles pilose throughout, . . * .V. dumetorum. 



* The specific distinctness of these two has been doubted by some eminent 

 British botanists. See "Phytologist," N.S., vol. I., p. 76 ; and " Cybele Brit.," 

 l. I., p. 175. 



