445 



The Porewort Family. 



(TREMANDRACEiE. ) 



Small twiggy shrubs, with heath-like, alternate, or whorled 

 leaves, furnished with glandular hairs. Flowers solitary, 

 pink, or purple, showy, consisting of 4 or 5 equal involute 

 petals. Stamens 8 or 10, 2 to each petal. Anthers opening 

 by a pore. Fruit capsular. 



This family consists of about 20 species, belonging chiefly 

 to the genera Tremandra and Tetratlieca. They are natives 

 of Australia. Several species have been introduced, and 

 form ornamental greenhouse plants. Besides being heath- 

 like in habit, they also agree with the Heath family in the 

 anthers opening by a pore, but their polypetalous flowers 

 separate them from that alliance. 



The Violet Family. 



(VlOLACE^.) 



Herbs, small shrubs, soft frutlets, or large trees. Leaves 

 alternate, rarely opposite, simple, entire, or lobed, with 

 stipules. Flowers solitary, on long footstalks, or several 

 together. Petals 5, equal or unequal, 1 generally spurred. 

 Stamens 5, often with a gland at their base. Fruit a 

 3-valved capsule, with numerous seeds, fleshy, drupe-like, 

 or berried. 



This family comprises about 800 species, the principal 

 being natives of Europe, Northern Asia, and North Ame- 

 rica. These are wholly herbaceous, while others, natives of 

 tropical America, consist of pretty shrubs and trees. 



Seven species of Viola are natives of Britain, the most con- 

 spicuous of which is V. odorata^ growing on banks and in 

 shady hedgerows, its pretty blue flowers perfuming the air. 

 Vast quantities of these are collected in the spring, and sold 

 in all large towns. The garden double variety is most highly 

 prized, especially the Neapolitan, which forms a frutlet 

 stem 6 inches in height, and is called the tree violet. 



