VIOLACE^E. 37 



Bpurofthe corolla. STYLE club-shaped; stigma 1-sided, cucculatc. Fruit a 3-valvcd 

 «apsulc. Seeds numerous ; albumen fleshy. 



1. VIOLA. Linn. Violets. 



The ancient Latin name of the genus. 



Sepals 5, auriculed at their base. Petals 5, unequal, 

 the larger one spurred at the base j the 2 lateral equal, oppo- 

 site. Stamens 5, approximate \ filaments distinct ; anthers 

 connate, the lobes diverging at the base. Capsule l-celle'd ; 

 3-valvcd; seeds attached to the valves. — Low herbaceous per- 

 ennial plant*, acaulesceni or caulescent. Peduncles angular, 

 solitary 1-jiowcrcd recurved at the summit in an inverted 

 position . (Often producing concealed apetalous flowers during 

 the whole summer.) 



* Stcvilccs : leaves and scajics from subterranean rootstochs : perennials. 

 1. Flowers blue : leaves undivided. 



1. V. cuccullata, Ait. Hood-leaved Violet. 



r Smoothish; leaves cordate, cuecullate at the. base, toothed, veined; stipules small, 

 linear, fringed ; lateral petals bearded : spur short, obtuse. 



Low grounds, m ; common. April — June. Leaves en long petioles, 



Etronjrly heart-shaped or triangularly kidney-shaped, rolled at the base, into a 

 hocded form. Flowers light blue or purple, with femes hat 4-sided scapes. Petals 

 twisted. Whole plant variable. 



2. V. SAGITTATA, Ait. Arrow-leaved Violet. 



Smoothish or hairy ; leave ; oblong-lanccclate, sagittate-cordate, sub-acute, often 

 hastate at the base, serrate or crenate-dentate : p Mis oblong, ovate, all except the 

 lower one, bearded; spur short, very thick and sac-like. 



Gravelly fields : common. April and May. Lewes varying from oblong-sagittate 

 to triangular-hastate on margined petioles, acute or not. Flowers middle sized, 

 purple, on scapes 3 to 5 inches long. Var. emarginata Nutt. Leaves almost trian- 

 gular, lacerataly toothed at the base; pct.ds cmarginate or bidentate. 



3. V. OVATA, Nutt. Ovate-leaved Violet. 



Leaves ovate, crenate, ciliate, abruptly decurrent on the short petiole, mostly 

 roughish, pubescent; lateral petals bearded ; stigma a little beaked. 



Dry hills. April and May. Leaves numerous, mo try hairy on both sides, some- 

 times nearly smooth, % as wide as long, acute or not, upper ones lacinatc-dentatc. 

 Sepals ciliate, oblong-ovate, deeply cmarginate behind. Petals entire, veiny, obo- 

 Tate, the lateral ones with dense white hoards. Spar broad. 



4. V. SORORIA, Willd. Bearded or Kindred Violet. 



Leaves orbicular, or roundish-cordate with the sinus often closed, crenate-serrate, 

 mostly pilose, thlckish, purple beneath, flat lying on the ground; lateral petals 

 densely bearded, lower one somewhat bearded, upper one naked ; stigma depressed, 

 with a deflcxed beak. 



Dry hills, open woodlands. April and May. Leaves 1 to 2 inches long, mostly 

 orbicular or sub-reniform. Scapes few, about as long as the leaves, smooth, with. 

 6mall subulate opposite bracts below the middle. Sepals lance-oblong, rather 

 obtuse, drolla reddish blue; petals obovate, entire. Capsule smooth. (Darling- 

 ton's F. C.) 







