54 THE VIOLET FAMILY; [Viola. 



Leaves reniform or orbicular, and cordate at the base, very slightly 

 crenate. Flowers smaller than in V. odorata, pale blue, with purple 

 streaks, and scentless ; the sepals obtuse, the spur very short. Stigma 

 broad, oblique. 



In marshy grounds and bogs, over northern and central Europe, Asia, 

 and North America. Abundant in Scotland, but decreasing south- 

 wards, and local in southern England. Common in some parts of 

 Ireland. Fl. spring and early summer ; the petalless flowers in summer. 



2. V. odorata, Linn. (fig. 122). Sweet V. — Perennial stock short, 

 but sometimes branched, knotted with the remains of the old leaf-stalks 

 and stipules, and usually emitting creeping runners or scions. Leaves 

 in radical (or rather terminal) tufts, broadly cordate, rounded at the 

 top, and crenate, downy or shortly hairy, with rather long stalks. 

 Stipules narrow-lanceolate or linear, and entire. Peduncles about as 

 long as the leaf -stalks, with a pair of small bracts about half way up. 

 Flowers nodding, of the bluish-purple colour named after them, or 

 white, more or less scented. Sepals obtuse. Spur of the lower petal 

 short. Stigma pointed, horizontal or turned downwards. 



On banks, under hedges, in woods, and on the borders of meadows, 

 widely spread over Europe and Asia, extending northward to temperate 

 Sweden. Common in many parts of Britain, but absent over large 

 districts, and only a doubtful native of Ireland. Fl. early spring, or 

 some garden varieties in autumn; the small petalless flowers that produce the 

 seeds may be seen nearly all summer. Some botanists distinguish several 

 species from minute differences in the shape and hairs of the petals. 



[ V. permixta, Jord., is a form with scentless flowers, and scions that 

 do not root. V. sepincola, Jord., is another scentless one with darkei 

 flowers, more hairy leaves, and rooting scions. Both of them are 

 supposed hybrids with V. hirta.] 



3. V. hirta, Linn. (fig. 123). Hairy V. — Very near V. odorata, and 

 most probably a mere variety, seldom producing runners, more hairy in 

 all its parts, with narrower and less obtuse leaves, and scentless flowers. 



Chiefly in limestone districts, in rocky places, open woods, and 

 pastures, with a more extended area than V. odorata, penetrating 

 further north in Scandinavia, and yet more common in southern Europe 

 to the Caucasus. Appears more frequent in eastern Britain, and less so 

 in the west than V. odorata ; very rare in Ireland. FL rather later than 

 V. odorata. [V. calcarea, Bab., is a stunted form from very dry places 

 in England.] 



4. V. arenaria, Dec. (fig. 124). Sand V. — A small, tufted, pubescent 

 or hoary stemless perennial. Leaves orbicular- ovate, obtuse, much 

 rounder than in V. canina. Flowers pale blue, on short axillary 

 branches from a compact rosette of leaves ; stipules small, fimbriate. 

 Sepals lanceolate, acute, bases square in fruit. Petals broad, spur 

 short. Capsule oblong, pubescent. 



A native of sandy and stony places in Europe from Norway south- 

 wards, and in North Asia. In Britain, found only in the mountains of 

 Upper Teesdale, and there extremely rare. Fl. summer. 



5. V. canina, Linn. (fig. 125). Bog V. — Stock short, with the radical 

 leaves tufted, and the flowering branches at first so short as to give 

 the plant much resemblance to the sweet V. ; but as the season advances 

 the lateral flowering branches are always more or less elongated, ascend- 



