ON VIOLA HIRTA AND ODORATA. 79 
covered with spreading hairs, or inodorous flowers in a plant 
scarcely more than “ pubescent or puberulent”) ; or any one 
who has a good series of specimens in his collection, whether 
there is not a certain proportion of his examples which he cannot 
(on the hypothesis of the existence of two or more distinct spe- 
cies) clearly and confidently decide upon. It would not be diffi- 
cult to multiply quotations from descriptive authors, in illustra- 
tion of the fact of the existence of these intermediate forms, one 
of which we have seen above treated as a hybrid production, but 
I will rest contented with adducing the testimony of two of the 
most eminent, Fries and Reichenbach. 
Fries. “ Viola odorata sativa et efferata folia habet glabra; 
spontanea preecipue subtus pubescentia, ex analogiz Pastinace, 
ete. At V. odorata, Linder, ad Borgholm, stolonibus nullis, 
foliis latius cordatis magisque villosis nimis recedit ; potius V. 
collina, Bess. en. Volh. p. 10. Alia inter V. hirtam et odoratam 
media forma in Scania.”—WNovit. Fl. Suec. edit. alt. p. 272. 
RercHensacn. “ V. campestris, M.B., acaulis eflagellis, foliis 
cordato-oblongis piloso-hirtis, smu baseos aperto utrinque arcu- 
ato, calycibus obtusis; Rehd. pl. crit. 1. ic. 89-91. Affinis qui- 
dem V. hirte (‘quacum minus bene conjungitur, M.B.) sed 
foliis basi subtruncatis (im illa demum profunde cordatis) oblon- 
gioribus et petalis minime emarginatis odoratis saturatioribus 
distnguenda. V. revoluta, Heuff., hujus folia, V. hirtee corollas 
emarginatas refert, num hybrida aut potius transitus ?’—Fl. Hv- 
curs. p. 705. 
The subject at present was specially forced on my attention 
by a visit the other day to Beckdale, or Birkdale, one of the 
smaller dales of our North Yorkshire oolitic moorlands, inter- 
esting botanically as a rich locality for several of the rarer lime- 
stone plants, amongst which are Cypripedium Calceolus, Actea 
spicata, Helleborus viridis, Hordeum sylvaticum, etc. In the 
lower and more shady parts of the woods, the Violet assumes the 
form of ordinary odorata, profusely creeping and sweet-flowered ; 
but it may be traced by gradual stages of transition, till it shows 
itself on the dry limestone rocks and débris above, in the form 
of veritable hirta, with “scentless flowers,” petioles thickly co- 
vered with spreading hairs, ‘ stolons none.” 
