240 XIX. VIOLARIE^E. 



albumen of these latter is floury. But, besides the different habit, Droseracea have extrorse anthers, 

 anatropous ovules, and a straight embryo ; Violariete proper have irregular imbricate isostemonous flowers, 

 anatropous ovules, straight embryo, and fleshy albumen ; Iii.rineee scarcely differ save in the anatropous 

 ovules. There is a decided affinity between Cwtinca; and Hy)tcricincai (which see). They have also 

 been compared with Caj)]taridea; from which, however, they differ in habit, fugacious petals, albuminous 

 seed, etc. 



Cistineat mostly inhabit the Mediterranean region ; some grow in North America ; a very few in central 

 Europe and eastern Asia, and still fewer in South America. 



The herbage of Cuttineai is slightly astringent ; some CYstf yieltf a balsamic resin, named ladanttm, which 

 is used in perfumery. Jldiantficmum rulyare, a species of central Europe, is sometimes administered as a 

 vulnerary. 



XIX. VIOLARIE^. 



(Genera CISTIS affmia, Jussieu. IONIDIA, Ventenat. ViOLARIE.E, D.C. ViOLACE^E, 



Lindl. VIOLET, Br.) 



PETALS 5, more or less unequal, hypogynous or slightly perigynous, imbricate. 

 STAMENS 5, inserted like the petals. OVARY 1 -celled, placentation parietal. STYLE simple. 

 FRUIT a capsule with the placentas on the centre of the valves, or rarely an indehiscent 

 berry. SEEDS albuminous. EMBRYO straight. 



HERBS, UNDERSHRUBS, or SHRUBS, rarely sarmentose (Agation). LEAVES alternate, 

 rarely opposite (lonidium, Alsodeia), simple, petiole*!, usually involute in bud, some- 

 times arranged in radical rosettes, and spotted with brown below (Viola cotyledon and 

 rosulata) ; stipules free, foliaceous, or small, usually deciduous 111 the woody species. 

 FLOWERS 3 , often dimorphous and apetalous, irregular or sub-regular, pentamerous, 

 or very rarely tetramcrous (Tetrathylftcium), axillary, solitary or in a cyme, panicle 

 or raceme ; pedicels usually 2-bracteolate. SEPALS 5, distinct, or connate at the 

 base, usually persistent, equal or unequal, aestivation imbricate. PETALS 5, 

 hypogynous or slightly perigynous, alternate with the sepals, aestivation imbricate 

 and convolute, sometimes equal or subequal, clawed, connivent, or cohering in a 

 tube at the base (Paypayrola, Tctrathylacium, Gloiospermum, Sauvagesia) ; sometimes 

 very unequal, the two upper exterior, the two lateral within the others, and not 

 clawed, the inner (lowest by the reversal of the flower) larger, clawed, and prolonged 

 into a hollow spur below its insertion. STAMENS 5, inserted on the receptacle or 

 bottom of the calyx ; filaments very short, dilated, free, or sometimes connate at the 

 base (Leonia, Gloiospermum, Alsodeia, &c.) ; anthers introrse, 2-celled, connivent, or 

 coherent round the ovary, cells adnate by the back to the inner surface of the 

 connective, and opening by a longitudinal slit; connective prolonged above the cells 

 in a membranous appendage, those of the 2 or 4 lower stamens (in the irregular 

 flowers) gibbous and glandular on their dorsal face, or prolonged into filiform spurs, 

 which are included in that of the lower petal. OVARY free, sessile, often girt with a 

 basal annulus, 1-celled ; placentas parietal, slender, generally 3, rarely 2 (Hymen- 

 anthera], or 5 (Melicytus), or 4 (Tetrathylacium) ; style simple, sometimes thickened 

 at the top, or bent with a dorsal stigmatic cavity, or of various form, sometimes 



