VIOLACE^E. 203 



I. Reseda. Sepals and petals many. Torus large, fleshy, bearing 

 the ovary with several stamens and styles. 



i. R. ODORATA (Mignonette}. Leaves 3-lobed, or entire ; sepals shorter 

 than the petals. A plant widely known and admired for its unsurpassed 

 fragrance. 



Order XI. VIOLACETE ( Violet Family]. 



Herbs ; sometimes shrubby. Leaves alternate, or radical, peti- 

 olate, with stipules. Flowers irregular, solitary. Sepals 5, per- 

 sistent, often auricled at base. Petals 5, unequal ; the lower one 

 large, with a spur at base. Stamens 5, inserted on the disk. Fila- 

 ments broad ; 2 of them usually furnished with a spur-like process. 

 Anthers united in a ring. Ovary I -celled, composed of 3 united 

 carpels, with 3 parietal placentae. Fruit a 3-valved, many-seeded 

 capsule. 



I. Viola. Perennials, with i-flowered peduncles. The spurred 

 petal, which is really the upper one, appears to be the lower, on account 

 of the reversed position of the flower, if 



1. V. CUCULLATA (Hooded Violet}. Leaves cordate, crenate, often cucul- 

 late at base ; flowers blue, marked with dark lines ; stipules linear ; lower 

 petals bearded. Everywhere in meadows and wet ground, and sometimes 

 even in dry soils. May. 



2. V. PEDATA (Bird-foot Violet}. Nearly smooth ; leaves pedate, 5-7 

 parted ; segments lanceolate, entire or 3-parted ; flowers pale, brilliant blue, 

 rarely white ; petals beardless ; stigma large and thick, margined, obliquely 

 truncate. Borders of dry woods, and sandy fields. April-May. 



3. V. BLANDA (White Violet}. Leaves cordate, slightly pubescent, on 

 short, pubescent petioles ; flowers small, white, on scapes longer than the 

 leaves ; petals marked with blue lines, greenish at base ; rhizoma creeping. 

 Meadows ; common. May. 



4. V. CANADENSIS (Canadian Violet}. Stem nearly' purple ;. radical 

 leaves reniform ; cauline ones cordate ; serrate, with pubescent veins ; 

 flowers pale blue or white ; stipules ovate-lanceolate, entire ; peduncles 

 shorter than the leaves ; petals yellowish at base ; upper ones purple out- 

 side ; lateral ones bearded. In woods, 6'-i2 f high. May-June. 



5. V. PUBESCENS (Large Yellow Violet}. Stem, erect, pubescent ; leaves 

 broad, cordate, obtuse, toothed, pubescent ; stipules ovate ; flowers large, 

 yellow ; lateral petals bearded ; upper ones with brown lines ; peduncles 

 pubescent, shorter than the leaves ; sepals oblong-lanceolate ; spur very 

 short. In rich woods, 3'-6'. Very variable. May-June. 



6. V. TRICOLOR (Pansy). Stem angular; leaves ovate, obtuse; stipules 

 lyrate, very large ; flowers large, on long axillary peduncles ; spur thick, 

 obtuse, very short. A beautiful and very variable species, cultivated in 

 gardens. 



