58 VIOLET FAMILY. 



5 petals, and 5 stamens ; the daws of the petals sometimes slightly united : 



ovary one-celled with three parietal placentas, a single style and stigma. 



Fruit a globular woody pod, many-seeded. 



P. Tobira, CbiuMON P. A low tree, cultivated as a house-plant (from 

 Japan), with obovate and refuse cvergi-een leaves crowded at the end of 

 the branches, which are terminated by a small sessile umbel of white fragrant 

 flowers, produced in winter. 



14. VIOLACE^, VIOLET FAMILY. 



Commonly known only by the principal genus of the order, viz. 



1. VIOLA, VIOLET. {Ancient Latin name.) Sepals 5, persistent. Pet;- 



als 5, more or less unequal, the lower one with a sac or spur at the base. 



(Lessons, p. 91, fig. 181, 182.) Stamens H, short : the very broad flat filar 



mcnts conniving and slightly coliering around the pistil, which they cover, 



all but the end of the style and the (usually one-sided) stigma, bearing the 



anthers on their inner face, two of these spurred at the base. Ovary and pod 



1-colled, with 3 parietal placentiE, containing several rather large seeds. — 



Herbs, with stipules to the alternate leaves, and 1-flowered peduncles. 



« Stemless Violets, with leaves and peduncles all from creepiiiij or sui- 



terranean rootstocks, there being no proper ascending stems : alt flowering in 



spring, also producing inconspicuous flowers and most of the fruitful pods, 



all summer, concealed among the leaves. 



.*- Garden species, from Europe : fragrant. 

 V. Odorata, Sweet Violet. Cult, from Eu., the tufts spreading by 

 creeping runners ; leaves rounded heart-shaped, more or less downy ; flowers 

 purple-blue (violet-color) varying to bluish and white, single or in cultivation 

 commonly full double. Hardy ; ivhile the Italian Violet, the variety used 

 for winter-blooming, with leaves smoother and brighter green and flowers paler 

 or grayish-blue, is tender northward. 



■*- ■*- Wild species : slightly sweet-scented or scentless. 

 ++ Flowers blue or violet-color. 

 V. Selkirkii, Selkirk's V. Small, only 2' high, the rounded heart- 

 shaped loaves spreading flat on the ground ; the flower larije in proportion, its 

 thick spur neai-ly as long as the beardless jjetals : on shady banks, only N. 



V. sagitt&,ta, Areow-leaved V. One of the commonest and earliest ; 

 leiivcs varying from oblong-heart-shaped to ovate and often rather halberd- 

 shaped, the earlier ones on short and margined petioles ; flower large in propor- 

 tion ; spur short and sac-shaped, as in all' the following. 



V. euculli,ta. Common Blue V. The tallest and commonest of the 

 blue violets, in aU low grounds, with matted fleshy and scaly-toothed rootstocks, 

 erect and heart-shaped or kidney-shaped obscurely serrate leaves, with the sides 

 at the base rolled in when young, on long petioles ; flowers sometimes pale or 

 variegated with white. 



V. palm&ta. Hand-leap V., is a variety of the last, with the leaves, or 

 all the later ones, 3 - 7-eleft or parted ; common southward. 



V. ped&ta, BiRD-pooT V. Grows in sandy or light soil, from a short and 

 thick or tuber-like rootstock ; the leaves all cut into linear divisions or lobes ; 

 the flower large, beardless, usually light violet-color : sometimes the two upper 

 petals deep dark violet, like a pansy. 



V. delphinifdlia, Lakkspur-leaved v., takes the place of the preced- 

 ing in prairies, &e. W. and is like it, but has the lateral petals bearded. 

 ** ++ Flowers (small) white, the lower petal purplish-veined. 

 V. blanda, Sweet White V. Verv common, with faintlv sweet-scented 

 flowers, all the petal 5 beardless ; leaves rounded heart-shaped or "kidney-shaped. 

 V. primulsefdlia, Primrose-leaved V. Common S., between the last 

 and next, has oblong or ovate leaves. 



V. lanceol^ta, Lance-leaved V. Commonest S., has lanceolate leaves 

 tapering into long petioles, and beardless petals. 



