THE VIOLET FAMILY 
[ORDER IX. VIOLARIE>E] 
CALYX OF 5 SEPALS, remaining with 
the fruit (persistent), inserted below the 
seedcase (hypogyrous). 
COROLLA OF 5 PETALS, unequal, the 
lower one spurred at the base, inserted 
below the seedcase (hypogyrous). 
STAMENS S, with short broad filaments 
carrying the anthers on their inner surface 
and forming a ring round the seedcase, 
inserted below the seedcase (hypogyrous). 
PISTIL OF 3 CARPELS, united into a 
i-chainbered seed-case (ovary), a style 
swollen above and crowned with a cup- 
shaped stigma. 
FRUIT a capsule, a dry roundish fruit, 
many-seeded, opening from the top to 
the base by 3 valves. 
FLOWERS showy, often solitary, with un- 
equal petals, frequently having 2 little 
bracts on the flower-stalk. 
LEAVES, alternate, simple, with stipules. 
DISTINGUISHED BY the 5 sepals, 5 un- 
equal petals, of which one is spurred, and 
5 stamens with their short broad filaments, 
on the inner surface of which are the 
anthers, and the 3-valved capsule. 
A FAMILY distinguished by its spurred petals, and its stamens with their anthers joining in a 
ring round the top of the seedcase. 
It is a beautiful family, with only one European genus — the Viola — including our Violet and 
Pansy. Viola calcarata from the Alps and Viola cornuta from the Pyrenees, together with many 
beautiful varieties, are to be found in our gardens. The Violet is much used in the making of 
perfume and the Pansy possesses emetic properties. 
VIOLET, PANSY. (VIOLA, LINN.) — Flowers usually solitary, stalked, blue-purple, white, 
yellow, or variegated with all these colours, often with 2 small bracts on about the middle of the 
flower-stalk. Sepals 5, prolonged at the base, remaining with the fruit ; petals 5, unequal, spread- 
ing, the lower one spurred at the base ; stamens 5, with short thick filaments, carrying the anthers 
on their inner surface, and forming a ring round the 3 carpels, which are united into a 1 -celled 
seedcase (ovary), a style swollen above, and a cup-shaped stigma. Fruit a many-seeded capsule 
opening from the top w r ith a spring into 3 boat-shaped valves. Herbs or shrubs with their leaves 
alternate, or all from the root (radical), and with stipules at the base of each leaf-stalk. It 
is not the showy flowers in the Violets that produce the seeds ; they are produced by unnotice- 
able, short-stalked, almost petalless flowers which fertilise themselves, appearing later on in the 
summer. 
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