142 PEXTANDRIA tfONOGYNIA 



J fab. IMoitft, shaded grounds : common. /'V. July Sept. -FV. Aug.— Oct. 



Obs. This is certainly nearly allied to the preceding ; but the distinctions aboY 

 noted appear to be very constant The tender succulent stems are often used i 

 p 'pular practice, as an application to inflamed tumors,— being bruised and aoDli d 

 BH a refrigerant cataplasm. These a:v the only native specie 8 in the Q. Stat 

 The I. BalsamiiMy L. (now called BaUamitta horUnsis i —Vulg4—lAi&y'i qij 

 pars—) is to bo found, almost naturalized, in every flower garden. 



111. VIOLA. /,. NutU Gen. 225. 

 [A name of obscure derivation.] 



Calyx persistent; sepals 5, produced downward at base into an atir : '- 

 ulate appendage. Corolla irregular; petals 5, unequal; the lower out 

 obtusely spurred at base. Unifiers connivent and slightly cohering' 

 the two lower ones with processes at their back, which extend into the 

 spur of the corolla; filaments dilated, extending beyond the anthers 

 Capsule I -celled, 3-valved, opening elastrcally, 



Jlcrbaccous perennials : often Btemless (or the stem short, subterraneous a»i 

 root-like): leaves alternate, stipular ; peduncles radical, or axillary, bibracteatoi 

 1 -flowered, reflexed at apex; flowers nodding. Nut. Orel. 130. Lindl Violacijb. 

 f Stemless, or nearly so : Stipules radical. 

 * Flowers blue. 

 1. V. psoata, L. Leave* pedftto, 7 to 0-parted, nearly smooth; Beg- 

 incuts ohlaneeolate, entire, or somewhat 8-lobed at apex ; petals all 

 beardless; stigma large, obliquely truncate, perforate at apex. Bed 

 Hot. />. 38. ' 



Also, V. digitata. Pursh, Am. 1. p. 171. 

 Pj.date Viola. Vulgo — Violet. 



Leaves exactly pedate ; segments oblanceolate, ebtuso or acute, one or two-tooth- 

 ed, or somewhat 3- lobed, at apex, often lanceolate and entire, minutely ciliale-ser- 

 rulate, punctate. Stipules radical, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, membranaceous, 

 t uispicuously laccrate-ciliatc. S-a^s numerous, 3 to 6 or 8 Inches high, finally 

 a little longer than the leaves, angular, smooth; brw/s near the basf,opp»she,lin. 

 ear, very long and narrow. Sepals linear-lanceolate, acute, truncate at base. C* 

 roila large, pale Hue, sometimes variegated (rarely all white); petals rounded at 

 the extremity, entire. Stigma compressed, angular, projecting a little above the 

 Stamens.* Capsule oblomr, subtriangular, smooth. 



Bab. Dry hills; on the Mica-slate, abundant. Fl. April— May. Fr. June. 



05*. This handsome species presents two or three vtrifjfesj-on* with wie« 

 5 ated flowers, the upper petals of a rich deep-violet purple, and velvety appear 

 ancf,,-fully as beautiful, 1 think, as the V. tricolor, of the garden*. For a full and 

 rmcresting description of our American Violets, Sec Schtceinitz, in Sill. Journ. Vol- 

 ;. p. 48. and Le Conte, in Annals of X. Y. Lyceum, Vol. 2. p. 133. 



2. V. palm ata, /,. Leaves moro or less pubesecnt, somewhat cordatf 

 palmate or hastate-lobcd (rarely entire) ; lobes polymorphous, crenatf 

 •r dentate, the middle one always large jit ; lateral petals bearded ; stig- 

 ma capitate, depressed, margined, a little recurved and rostrate. Beck 

 Bot. p. 38. 



Also ? V. asarifolia. Florul Cestr. p. 29. Not of Pursh. 

 Palmate Viola. 



