VIOLET FAMILY. VIoIacex. 



The commonest violet of all, familiar on 

 Viola paimuta I'oadsides and in fields. The leaves deep 

 var. cuculata green, heart-shaped, scallop-toothed, and 

 Light purple somewhat coiled, especially when yomig. 

 ^^^' , Both stem and leaf are smooth. The flower 



varies in color from light purple to pale 

 violet ; rarely it is white purple-veined ; the three lower 

 petals are white at the base, and two of these— the lateral 

 ones— are beautifully fringed or bearded at the throat of 

 the flower. The leaf-stalks are usually a little longer 

 than the flower-stalks. 3-7 inches high. In low grounds 

 everywhere, especially in marshes where the flower- 

 stalks exceed those of the leaves, and the flowers are 

 much larger. This species is cross-fertilized mostly by 

 bumblebees, the insect touching the stigma first. 

 Arrow=leaved ^ ^'^^T small species with deep green, 

 Violet arrow-shaped leaves with blunt points, 



iiola sagittata and scallop-teeth, but the upper part of 

 Light violet ^}j^^ leaves sometimes plain-edged. A 



slight grayish bloom often characterizes 

 the foliage when it is seen en masse. The small flower 

 is light violet or deeper violet ; its lateral petals are 

 bearded, as are also the upper ones ; the lower petal is 

 veined, and its spur is short. 2-8 inches high. In wet 

 meadows or dry borders from Me,, south to Ga., and 

 west to Minn., Neb,, and Tex. It bears late cleistoga- 

 mous flowers. 

 „. , „„.... Selkirk's Violet is a rather uncommon, 



Vtola Selkirk! I n i • ,, ,. 



small, woodland species generally found 

 among the hills. The stalks are erect and smooth, the 

 leaves dark green and heart-shaped, deeply lobed at 

 the base. The flowers are pale violet and beardless, 

 with deep spurs. Moist soil, from Me. to Vt., Mass., 

 and Pa., and westward to Minn. Also in Europe and 

 Asia. 



A small smooth species whose flower- 

 Marsh Violet gtalks generally exceed those of the leaves. 

 LighVniac ' '* ^^'liich are broad heart-shaped and indis- 

 May-July tinctly scalloped. Sometimes the leaves 



are kidney-shaped. The small flowers are 

 Jight violet or lilac, with purple veins ; the petals are 

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