110 THE TIOLET FAMILY. 



Chiefly in limestone districts, in rocky places, open woods, and pastures,- 

 with a more extended area than the sweet V., penetrating fui-ther north in 

 Scandinavia, and yet more common in southern Europe to the Caucasus. 

 Appears more frequent in eastern Britain, and less so in the west, than the 

 Siceet v.; both are recorded from Ireland. Fl. rather later than the 

 sweet V. 



4. Dog Violet. Viola canina, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 620. V. sylvatica and V. stagnina, Bab. Man.) 



Stock short, with the radical leaves tufted, and the flowering branches at 

 first so short as to give the plant much resemblance to the sweet V. ; 

 but as tlie season advances, the lateral flowering branches are always more 

 or less elongated, ascending or erect, from a few inches to near a foot long. 

 Leaves ovate, cordate, varying from nearly orbicular to broadly lanceolate, 

 usually glabrous as well as the whole plant. Stipules narrow-lanceolate 

 and pointed. Flowers much like those of the siveet V., but usually paler, 

 always scentless, and the sepals pointed. The complete flowers set their 

 fruit more frequently than in the siveet V., but yet the greater number of 

 capsules are produced by the later petaUess flowers. 



Very common in a variety of situations, throughout Europe and Eussian 

 Asia. Abundant in Britain. Fl. spring aid early summer; the peialless 

 floroers all summer. It varies mucli in size, in the shape of the leaves, and 

 in the mode of development of the flowering bx-anches, and has been divided 

 into a number of species, which may be reduced to three principal varieties, 

 viz. : — 



a. Dwarf Bog Violet (V. fiavicornls, Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2736). 

 TJsually only 2 or 3 inches high, the flowei-ing branches frequently peren- 

 nial at the base, and the capsules almost always obtuse, being produced by 

 the petaUess flowers. Grows in open, dry, or sandy situations. 



b. Common Bog Violet. Six inches high or more, the flowering branches 

 all lateral. Leaves ovate, cordate. Capsules often pointed, and produced 

 by the complete flowers. On hedge-banks and in thickets. 



c. 'Narrow-leaved Bog Violet (V. lactea, Eng. Bot. t. 445). Flower- 

 ing branches more erect than in the common variety, often much longer, 

 although sometimes short. Leaves ovate- lanceolate, from one and a half to 

 three times as long as broad, and cordate at the base. Flowers veiy pale 

 or white. Very luxuriant on boggy heaths, dwarf near the seaside. 



5. Pansy Violet. Viola tricolor, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1287. Heartsease or Pansy.) 



A most variable plant, but easily recognized by the branching stem, the 

 large leaf-like stipules deeply divided into several Huear or oblong lobes, the 

 central or terminal one the largest, broadest, and most obtuse, and by the 

 style thickened at the top into an almost globular oblique stigma. The 

 plant is glabrous, or shghtly downy. Leaves stalked, from narrow-oblong 

 to ovate or cordate, always obtuse and slightly crenate. Flowers pui-ple, 

 whitish, or yellow, or with a mixture of these colours ; the two upper pair 

 of petals slightly overlapping each other, and usually more coloured, the 

 lower petal always broadest, and generally yellow at the base. 



On hiUy pastures and banks, in cultivated and waste places throughout 

 Europe and Russian Asia, and abundant in Britain, especially as a weed of 

 cultivation. FLfrom spring till autumn. It is the most variable of all our 



