98 THE VIOLET FAMILY. 



out Europe and Russian Asia, and abundant in Britain, especially as a 

 weed of cultivation. Fl. from spring till autumn. It is the most variable 

 of all our Violets, and has been divided into more than a dozen specie3. 

 The following are the most prominent forms, which, however constantly 

 different they may sometimes appear, at others pass gradually into 

 each other. 



a. Field Tansy (V. arvensis, Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2712). A slender 

 annual, from 2 or 3 inches to 6 inches or a foot long. The lobes of the 

 stipules and leaves narrow ; the petals small, sometimes shorter than the 

 calyx, pale yellow, nearly white, or the upper ones pale purple. A very 

 common weed of cultivation. 



b. Garden Pansy (V. tricolor, Eng. Bot. t. 1287). Larger than the 

 field P. in all its parts, often biennial or perennial, with broader leaves. 

 The terminal lobe of the stipules larger ; the petals much larger than 

 the calyx, very variable in colour. It sows itself readily, but is apt to 

 degenerate into the field P. 



■ c. Yelloio Pansy (V. lutea, Eng. Bot. t. 721), Usually perennial. 

 Foliage of the compact forms of the garden P. Flowers large and richly 

 coloured, often yellow. In mountain pastures in Wales, northern 

 England, and western Scotland. V. Curtisii (Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2693) 

 is an intermediate form between this and the garden P. 



X. THE MILKWORT FAMILY. POLYGALACE.E. 



A family represented in Europe only by Milkwort itself. The 

 other genera associated with it are chiefly tropical or natives of 

 the southern hemisphere, differing from Milkwort in the form and 

 consistence of their fruit, or in minor details in the structure of 

 their flowers. 



I. MILKWORT. POLYGALA. 



Herbs or shrubs, with entire leaves, usually alternate, no stipules, 

 and very irregular flowers in terminal racemes. Sepals 5, of which 

 the two inner are larger, usually petal-like, and commonly called 

 wings. Petals 3, 4, or 5, the lowest very small and subulate, and all 

 more or less united with the stamens. Stamens united in two parcels, 

 each with 4 anthers opening by pores at the summit. Style 1, with a 

 single stigma. Ovary and capsule flat, 2-celled, with a single pendulous 

 seed in each cell. 

 . A very numerous genus, widely diffused over most parts of the globe. 



