58 Violarice—Viola. 
1. VIOLA. 
Annual or perennial, rarely somewhat shrubby herbs. Leaves 
alternate, with persistent often foliaceous stipules. Peduncles 
axillary, usually one-flowered. Many species produce dimor- 
phous flowers. The Spring flowers are usually sterile, and the 
small apetalous Summer ones fertile. Sepals nearly equal, 
produced downwards below the point of insertion. Petals 
spreading, the lower often larger and spurred or saccate at the 
base. Anthers subsessile, the connective broad with a mem-~- 
branous terminal appendage, the two lower stamens often 
spurred. Capsule 3-valved, with 3 parietal placentas, open- 
ing with elasticity. Seeds numerous, albuminous ; testa 
crustaceous, often shiny. A genus of about a hundred species, 
very widely distributed, the majority in the northern hemi- 
sphere. The name is the ancient Latin one for plants of this 
genus. 
§ 1. Murintum. Upper petals erect. Stipules large and 
leaf-like. 
1. V. tricolor.—Heartsease or Pansy (fig. 42). Even in the 
wild state the forms of this species, as usually defined, are very 
Fig. 42. Viola tricolor, var. (4 nat. size.) 
numerous. The commoner ones are arvénsis and tricolor 
proper; the former with yellow or white petals scarcely ex- 
ceeding the sepals, and the latter with larger purple and 
yellow petals. Another form is lutea, by some botanists con- 
sidered as specifically distinct. This has medium-sized flowers, 
