21.' 



The Primrose-leaved Violet in White County. 



Louis F. Heimlich. 



On the afternoon of June 2d last. I started out from Reynolds, Indiana, 

 to add a few specimens to my herbaruiin. Following the Pennsylvania 

 lines east, I noticed many familiar plants, among them being Viola lunee- 

 olata L., the lance-leaved violet, growing in great abundance in the wild 

 grass along the right of way. A goodly number of Viola sagittata Ait. 

 were often close neighbors to lanceolata. 



After digging up a few very fine specimens of these two violets I 

 climbed over the fence and went up on one of the sand ridges so charac- 

 tristic of the country about Reynolds. I had crossed this area very often 

 and knew that Viola pedata L., the bird-foot violet, grew here. Only a 

 few of their flowers remained, the seedpods on some being already of 

 good size. 



Passing over the edge of this oak-forested sand ridge, I descended into 

 what was once a swamp area. The soil suddenly becomes mucky, mixed 

 with sand and late decayed leaves. Here, to my surprise, I discovered a 

 violet which I had never seen before. I knew it was a violet. I felt sure 

 of that, and so remarked to my two companions. We looked and found 

 more of them nearby. They spread from the lower limit of the sand ridge 

 <mt to a little beyond a fence-row, covering an area of about 40 by 125 feet. 



These violets, which I later found to be Viola primulifolia L., the 

 primrose-leaved violet, seemed to seek the shade. Most of them grew 

 along the fence-row in wild grass, together with some weeds and small 

 brush. Those which grew out in the open short grass were low spreading 

 and less succulent plants. The season for flowering was about over and 

 the cleistogamons capsules were making their appearance. 



Viola primulifolia L., varies from about 5 cm. to 20 cm. in height. 

 bearing from a few to a dozen or more primros'e-like leaves. The plant is 

 stemless, the leaves rising from a medium sized rootstock or runner. The 

 lower leaves are oval to almost round. The upper, larger leaves are ovate. 



