Violariecz Viola. 



59 



normally yellow, with a few dark purple stripes. It is a native 

 of the mountainous districts of Britain and the Continent, and 

 will not succeed in dry hot situations. It is uncertain whether 

 the Pansies of our gardens have sprung from this species alone, 

 or whether F. altalca and F. Rotkomagensis have been inter- 

 crossed with it to produce them ; but from the experiments 

 of various horticulturists it would appear that the former is 

 the more probable source of their origin. Indeed, some are 

 inclined to consider, these ' species ' as races of F. tricolor. 

 However that may be, there is no doubt of the wondrous diver- 

 sity and beauty of the cultivated varieties, ranging in colour 

 from white, yellow, lilac, violet, and purple in different tints 

 to nearly black, and others in which there is some combination 

 of these colours. There is no longer the same rage as formerly 

 for the named varieties, though some of the self-coloured ones 

 are now extensively employed for massing. Pansies have long 

 been cultivated; but Lady Mary Tennet, about the year 1812, 

 assisted by her gardener Eichardson, was the first to devote 

 attention to the selection of fine varieties. 



2. F. calcarata. A dwarf free-blooming species with 

 numerous underground creeping stems. Leaves crenate, ovate 

 or oblong-lanceolate ; stipules entire, 3-toothed, or pinnatifid. 

 Spur as long as the petal, slender. Flowers large, pale blue. 

 A variety called F. Zoysii has smaller yellow flowers. Switzer- 

 land. 



3. F. cornuta. Closely allied with the foregoing, but having 

 broader less deeply crenate leaves, and of more erect growth. 

 The stipules are not so deeply divided, and the flowers are of a 

 darker blue. A native of the mountains of Europe. 



There are several varieties in cultivation which are referred 

 to this species, and valuable on account of their profusion of 

 flowers. 



2. NOMIMIUM. Upper petals projecting forwards. Stipules , 



not leafy. 



F. odorata. Sweet Violet. This species is too well known 

 to need description. It is the only one of this section in 

 general cultivation. The varieties are numerous, double and 

 single, violet, white, and mottled with the two colours, and 

 some of them bloom nearly all the year round. The variety 

 called the Czar is one of the best, producing its long-stalked 

 large blue fragrant flowers in the greatest profusion during 



