96 



THE VIOLET FAMILY. 



southern Sweden. Common in many parts of Britain, although here 

 and there large districts are without it. Fl. early spring, or some gar- 

 den varieties in autumn ; the small petalless flowers that produce the 

 seeds may be seen nearly all summer. Some Continental botanists dis- 

 tinguish several species from minute differences in the shape and hairs 

 of the petals. 



3. Hairy Violet. Viola hirta, Linn. (Fig. 121.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 894.) 



Very near the sweet V., and most pro- 

 bably 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 the sweet V., 

 penetrating further north in Scandinavia, 

 and yet more common in southern Eu- 

 rope to the Caucasus. Appears more 

 frequent in eastern Britain, and less so 

 in the west, than the sweet V. ; both are 

 recorded from Ireland. Fl, rather later 

 than the sweet V, 



Fig. 121. 



4. Dog Violet. Viola canina, Linn. (Eig. 122.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 620. V. sylvatica and V. stagnina, Bab. Man.) 



Stock short, with the radical leaves 

 tufted, and the flowering branches at first 

 so short as to give the plant much re- 

 semblance to the sweet V. ; but as the 

 season advances, the lateral flowering 

 branches are always more or less elon- 

 gated, ascending or erect, from a few 

 inches to near a foot long. Leaves ovate, 

 cordate, varying from nearly orbicular 

 to broadly lanceolate, usually glabrous 

 as well as the whole plant. Stipules 

 narrow-lanceolate and pointed. Flowers 

 much like those of the sweet V. 9 but 

 usually paler, always scentless, and the 

 The complete flowers set their fruit more frequently 



Fig. 122. 



sepals pointed. 



