VIOI-ET FAMILY. il 



XV. VIOLACE^, VIOLET FAMILY. 



Herbs. Sepals 5, persistent. Petals 5, more or less un- 

 equal, the lower one with a sac or spur at the base. (Lessons, 

 Figs. 237, 238, 276, 347, 420, 429.) Stamens 5, short; the 

 very broad flat filaments conniving or cohering around the 

 pistil. Style usually club-shaped ; stigma 1-sided. Ovary 

 and pod 1-celled, with 3 parietal placentae, containing several 

 rather large seeds. Herbs, with stipules to the alternate 

 leaves, and l-flowered peduncles. 



1. V^IOLA. Sepals eared at base ; stamens distinct, the two lower bearing spurs which 



extend into the spur of the corolla. Cleisto^amous blossoms are common and highly 

 (Vuitful, especiallj' among stemless species. (See Lessons, p. 115.) 



2. SOLEA. Sepals not eared at base ; stamens united into a sheath having a broad gland 



below instead of spurs. 



1. VIOLA, VIOLET, HEART'S-EASE. (The ancient Latin name.) 



» Stemless Violets, with leaves and peduncles all from creeping or sub- 

 tei-ranean rootstocks, there being no proper ascending stems ; all flower- 

 ing in spring. 



*- Garden species^ from Europe; fragrant. 



V. odorata, Linn. Sweet Violet. Tufts spreading by creeping run- 

 ners ; leaves rounded heart-shaped, more or less downy ; flowers violet- 

 blue, varying to white ; single, or in cultivation commonly full double. 

 Hardy. 



H_ 4_ Wild species ; only slightly sweet-scented or scentless. 



++ Flowers blue or violet-color, 



= Bootstock short and thick; stigma not beaked; lateral petals not 



bearded. 



V. pedita, Linn. Bird-foot V. Leaves all cut into linear divisions 

 or lobes ; the flower large, beardless, usually light violet-color, sometimes 

 whitish, sometimes the two upper petals deep dark violet, like a pansy ; 

 sandy or light soil. 



= = Bootstock fleshy and thickened; stigma beaked; spur short and sac- 

 like ; lateral petals bearded. 



V. pedatlfida, G. Don. (or V. dephinif6lia). Leaves all palmately 

 divided or parted ; segments 2— 3-cleft ; lobes linear. Prairies, 111. W. 



V. palm^ta, Linn. Common Blue V. Rootstocks matted, scaly- 

 toothed; leaves erect and heart-shaped or kidney-shaped, obscurely 

 serrate, the later ones, 3-7-cleft or parted, with the sides at the base 

 rolled in when young, on long petioles ; flowers sometimes pale or varie- 

 gated with white. 



The var. cucuUita, Gray, has the later leaves merely crenate, not 

 lobed. Both forms very variable and common. 



V. sagitt^ta. Ait. Akkow-leavkd V. Leaves varying from oblong- 

 heart-shaped to ovate and often rather halberd-sliaped, toothed near base, 

 tlie earlier ones on short and margined petioles ; flower large in propor- 

 tion ; common. 



