VIOLACK.K. (VIOLET FAMILY.) 77 



ing the ovary, and bearing a broad gland on the lower side. Style hooked a1 

 the summit. — A homely perennial herb, with steins leafy to the top, and l -:; 

 small greenish-white flowers in the axils, on short recurved pedicels. (Named 



in honor of IT. Sole, author of an essay on the British Mints.) 

 l. S. concolor, Ging. (Viola concolor, Pursh, &c.) — Woods, New 



York to Illinois and southward. June. — Plant l°-2°liigh. Leaves oblong, 

 pointed at both ends, entire. Pod 1' long. 



2. VIOLA, L. Violet. Heart's-ease. 



Sepals extended into cars at the base. Petals somewhat unequal, the lower 

 one spurred at the base. Stamens closely surrounding the ovary, often slightly 

 cohering with each other; the two lower ones bearing spurs which project into 

 the spur of the corolla. Besides these conspicuous blossoms, which appear in 

 spring, others are produced later (especially in the stemless species), on shorter 

 peduncles or on runners, usually concealed under the leaves ; these never open 

 nor develop petals, but are fertilized in the young bud, producing pods which 

 are far more fruitful than the ordinary blossoms. (The ancient Latin name of 

 the genus.) 



§ 1. Stemless Violets: the leaves and scapes all from a subterranean rootstock, 



flowering in early spring, and bearing fruitful apetalous flowers all summer. 



* Flowers yellow : rootstock creeping and producing summer runners. 



1. V. rotundifblia, Michx. (Round-leaved Violet.) Leaves round- 

 ovate, heart-shaped, slightly crcnate ; lateral petals bearded and marked with 

 brown lines; spur very short. — Cold woods, Maine to Michigan, and south 

 along the Alleghanies. — Smoothish : leaves 1' broad at flowering, increasing to 

 3' or 4' in the summer, then lying flat on the ground, shining above. 



* * Flowers white (small, short-spurred) ; lower petals striped with lilac veins: root- 



stock creeping and producing summer runners or subterranean filiform branches. 

 (Xo. 2 and Xo. 4, however different, seem to be connected by Xo. 3.) 



2. V. lanceolata, L. (Lance-leaved Violet.) Smooth; leaves lan- 

 ceolate, erect, blunt, tapering into a long-margined petiole, almost entire; petals 

 beardless. — Damp soil, Maine to Illinois, Kentucky, and southward ; com- 

 mon eastward. 



3. V. primulaef61ia, L. (Primrose-leaved V.) Smooth or a little 

 pubescent; leaves oblong or ovate, abrupt or somewhat heart-shaped at the base; 

 petals often acute, the lateral ones usually sparingly bearded. (V. acuta, Bige- 

 low.) — Damp soil; with No. 2. 



4. V. blanda, Willd. (Sweet White V.) Leaves round-heart-shaped or 

 kidney-form, minutely pubescent ; petals mostly beardless. — Damp places, every- 

 where, Maine to Wisconsin and Kentucky. — Flowers faintly sweet-scented. 



* * * Flowers purplish or violet: rootstocks slender and creeping, often producing 



n umerous summer runners. 

 V. odorAta, L. (Sweet or English Violet), cultivated in gardens, 

 from Europe, belongs to this section, and is becoming sparingly spontaneous 

 in some places. 



