VIOLA. 73 



examine the blue. Like Hepatica, this Violet is a peren- 

 nial, acaulescent herb. According to its locality, it is 

 smooth (glabrous) or hairy, the latter in poorer soil. 



Analysis. From what the learner has already seen, he 

 will easily characterize the root, stem, and scapes. But in 

 the leaf and flower several new features will appear. 



The leaves are borne on long petioles, springing from 

 the underground stem, and each petiole is embraced at its 

 base by a pair of narrow linear scales. The nature of these 

 appendages will be better understood hereafter (p. 75). 

 The blade is rolled inward at the base, so as to imitate the 

 form of a hood (cucullus) ; hence the leaf is cucullate. 

 When spread out, as in dried specimens, the blade is as 

 broad or broader than long. A sinus or recess at the base, 

 where it joins the petiole, makes it cordate (heart-shaped) or 

 reniform (kidney-shaped). The margins are usually crenate 

 (notched) i. e., wrought into small rounded notches. But 

 in this they greatly vary, being sometimes found divided, 

 more or less deeply, in five to nine lobes. As to venation, 

 are they pinni- veined, or palmi-veined ? 



Inflorescence* The flower-stalks or scapes are two- 

 bracted about midway, and recurved at the top, so that the 

 flowers are nodding, and resupinate (inverted). 



The Flowers hitherto studied are regular ; that is, they 

 have the same form and look on every side. But the 

 flowers of the Violet are irregular, being oblique or one- 

 sided. This is due to the inequality of the five petals. 

 They differ in shape, size, color, and posture, and are 

 assorted into two pairs and an odd one the upper (lower 

 by resupination), which is protruded behind into a blunt 

 sack or spur (2). All are blue, with a yellow and pencilled 

 base, and the lateral ones are broadest and bearded. The 

 five green sepals are each extended behind into an ear- 

 4 



