THE ART ALHUM O/' A/; IT ZKALAMi r/jihW. 



27 



Tli(> >'i()l('t lias ever Ihhmi willi poets a ravoiiritc flower, and a siil)i('c1 of poesy. Iioiiiaii 

 dames perrmiied their l)atlis witli its fragrance, and its abundant presence at ancient 

 regal banquets filled the air with overpowering incense. The great Napoleon accepted 

 it as the emblem of his Imperial dynasty, and when he, who thought to rule the world, 

 was banished to Elba, " To return in Spring," was the meaning it conveyed to his 

 adherents. The name of Viola is said to be derived from lo, the daughter of Machus, 

 King of Argos, who was transformed into a cow by Jupiter, and is fabled to have eaten 

 Violets as the first food she took. Bunches of ^'ioh^ts, if laid away when fresh, in the 

 pockets or sleeves of dresses, impart a delicious odour of the flower. The blossoms must 

 be quite dry, and should be removed when they become scentless. It is said that 

 Josephine's boiuloir at Mahnaison is impregnated to this day with the odour of Violets, 

 owing to the quantities of that flower with which the room was kept constantly sup]ilied. 



" But sweeter than tlie lids of .Juno's eves. 

 Or Cvtherea's breath." 



— Winters Tale. 



OTHER SPECIES OF VIOLA. 

 2. V. LYALLII. 



A plant entirely similar to V. filicavlis, in most respects, but the stipules and bracts 

 are generally more green and always entire, usually obtuse, and the flowers are smaller. 

 It is found in various places in both tbe Northern and Middle Island. 



3. V. CUNNINGHAMII. 



A plant very variable in size, stem sliort, mucli branched, often thickening into a 

 short woody stock. Leaves tufted on the top of the root or stem, or on very short 

 branches from it. Peduncles slender. Flowers ^ - 1 inches in diameter, and pale blue, 

 scentless. Very common in moist places from the middle of the Northern Island, south- 

 wards, ascending to 5,000 feet. It is also found in the Middle Island and in Tasmania. 



GENUS II. 

 MELICYTUS {ForsL) The Honey Trees. 



Gknbbal CHAEACTEB.-Shrubs. with short petioled, toothed, 

 minute stipuled leaves. Flowers axillary, fascicled, small, 

 regidar, almost unisexual or polj^gamons. Sepals 5. Petals 5. 

 short, spathulate, spreading. Anthers 5, free; connectiie 



produced into a membrane, and furnished \rith a scale at the 

 back. Stvle 3-6-fld, or with a discoid stigma. Berry, with 

 a few or "many angled seeds, on 3-6 placentas. — Handbook- of 

 New Zealand Flora, p. IT. 



Description, etc. — This genus is confined to New Zealand, Norfolk Island, and 

 belongs to the equal-i)etaled division of the order. The genus consists of four species : 



