26 COMMON CANADIAN WILD PLANTS. 



ORDER XII. VIOLA' CE^E. (VIOLET FAMILY.) 



Herbs, with alternate stipulate leaves. Flowers irregular, 

 the lower of the 5 petals being spurred. Sepals 5, persis- 

 tent. Stamens 5, the anthers more or less coherent, and 

 surrounding the pistil. Fruit a 1-celled pod, splitting into 

 3 valves. Seeds in three rows on the walls of the ovary. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



1. Vi'ola. Sepals auricled at the base. Lower petal distinctly 



spurred. Stamens only slightly, if at all, coherent ; the 2 lower 

 ones spurred. 



2. So lea. Sepals not auricled. Lower petal saccate at the base. Sta- 



mens completely united and sheathing the ovary. Plant 1-2 feet 

 high. 



l. VI'OIA, L. VIOLET. 



* Stemless Violets ; leaves and scapes all from root-stocks. 

 -i- Flowers white. 



1. V. blanda, Willd. (SWEET WHITE V.) Lower petal 

 streaked with purple. Leaves round-heart-shaped or reni- 

 form. Petals beardless. Flower sweet-scented. Swamps 

 and wet meadows, in spring. 



Var. renifolia, Gray, has leaves much larger and more 

 pubescent than those of the preceding. Dry cedar swamps, 

 and ravines in rich woods. 



2. V. laneeola'ta, L. (LANCE-LEAVED V.) Flowers 

 white. Petals beardless. Leaves lanceolate, erect, tapering 

 into a long, margined petiole, nearly entire. Damp ground, 

 mostly eastward. 



3. V. primulsefo'lia, L. (PRIMROSE-LEAVED V.) Flowers 

 white, lateral petals usually somewhat bearded. Leaves 

 ovate or oblong, heart-shaped, or abrupt at the base. Damp 

 or dry ground ; Atl. Prov. 



i- i- Flowers blue or purple. 



4. V. peda'ta, L. (BIRD-FOOT V.) Nearly smooth. Koot- 

 stock" shorty thick and erect. Leaves all deeply cut into 3-5 

 segments, the lateral divisions 2-3-parted. Flower about 



stigma large and not beaked. N W. 



