VIOLET FAMILY. Violaceas. 



^ A handsome, somewhat western species, 



Pale Violet 



Viola striata '^^'^^^^ smooth, straight stems, and deep dull 

 White or pale green, heart-shaped leaves, finely scallop- 

 lavender toothed, and more or less curled at the 

 April-May j^^gg when young, the tips acute. The 

 moderately large flowers white, cream-coloi'ed, or very 

 pale lavender, the lateral petals bearded, the lower one 

 thickly striped with purple veins, and broad. The 

 flower-stalk exceedingly long. The stigma of the flower 

 projects far be^'ond the anthers, so self-fertilization is 

 impracticable ; among the most frequent visitors (ac- 

 cording to Prof. Robertson) are the bees of the genus 

 Andrena, and the small bees, Osmia albiventris and 

 Halictus coriaceus. Colias philodice, the butterfly who 

 "puts a finger in everyone's pie," is also an occasional 

 visitor. 6-16 inches high. In moist woods and fields 

 from western New Eng., to Minn., and Mo., and south 

 along the Alleghanies to Ga. 



A low creeping violet ; the light green 

 Dog Violet ^ -^1 ^ ^1 J ^- , ^ i. 



Viola canina stems With many toothed stipules (leafy 



var. Muhlen- formations at the angles of the stems), 

 bergii and small round heart-shaped yellow- 



Light purple green leaves, obscurely scalloped, and 

 slightly pointed at the tip. Tlie pale pur- 

 ple or violet flowers are small, with the side petals 

 slightly bearded, and the lower petal purple- veined and 

 long-spurred. Rarely the flowers are white. 2-6 inches 

 high. Visited by the small bees of the genus Halictus. 

 Common in wet woodlands and along shady roadsides, 

 from Me., south to N. Car. and Tenn., and west to 

 Minn. Viola canina var. puherula is characteristically 

 fine-hairy, the leaves are ovate and small, and the stip- 

 ules are deeply toothed. It bears cleistogamous flowers. 

 In sandy soil from Me. and Vt., westward to Mich, 

 and S. Dak. 



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