N a t . O e d . VI. VIOLARIEÆ.
This small Natu ral Order is m o st abundaut in th e north temperate zon e , where it is represented by
the herbaceous sp e c ie s; th e se are also very p len tifu l ou th e A n d e s o f Sonth America, and are comparativ
ely rare in th e temperate r egion s o f Australia, 'Lasmauia, and N ew Zealand. The shrubby genera, again
o f the Order are generally trop ica l; a few o f them are however fon n d in the son th temperate zone, as
U ym en a n tle ra , M e h e y tu s {in N ew Zealand), lo u idm m , and OE tn o h a tm . Ab ou t twenty A nstralian rio la rie a ,
are known o f which several are tropical. P iy e a is th e largest g en n s amongst them, con ta in in g ten species,
natives o f South-eastern aud South-western Australia, bn t none o t th ese have hitherto occurred iu T asmania.
Gen. I . V IO L A , L .
S epala 5 , basi producto. P e ta la 6 , inæqualia, posticnm basi saccatum v. calcaratnm. S tam in a 5 ;
anllaerm adnatre, conne c tivo apice explanato, dnarum aeteriornm con n e c tiv is dorso in appendices intra calcar
recónditos prodnctis, rarissime nu d is. clavatns. 1 -loonIatis, 3 -v a lv is; plurimis,
placentis pane talibns 3 adnexis.— Herhre, fohis a lte rn is v. ro su la tis ; pedunculis a x illa rU a s , s o lita r iis , v n i-
f io r ts , h lr a c te o la tis ; floribus interdum nnisexnalibns.
The species ot this genus are very variable in afl parts o t the world, and the Tasmanian are no less so than
others. These belong to two sections, differing chiefly in habit, and not at afl in generic chara c te r s.-P e r ea ak i
herbs, rarely with shrabb, stems, often tufted, with rosnlate, always stipulate, leaves. T hm e r, solitary, on axillaiy
bracteate peduncles, sometimes imperfect and miisexnal. Sepals five, unequal, produced at the base. F e ta l,
hve, unequal, with short claws and spreading limbs, tbe lower produced behind into a spur or sac. Anthers with
flat terminal cojmectives, united into a tnbe ; the two lower with the connective produced behind into spurs, wliich
are lodged in that o t the lower petal. Ovary one-cefled, with three many-ovuled parietaT plácente. Style clnb-
s ape . Stiyma often concave. Capsule one-cefled. three-valved, many-seeded. Seeds globose, with an elevated
raphe, often caruncnlated, and a hoflow apical chalaza. Fmbryo orthotropons in the axis o f fleshy albumen.
(Name probably from lov, the Greek name of the genus.)
1. V io la hederacea (Lab. N o v . H o ll. i. 8 6 . t. 9 1 ) ; stoloiiifera v. stolonibus abbreviatis cæspitosa,
glaberrima v. pubescens, folus lon g e petiolatis cuneatis reniformihus cordato-reniformibusve crenatis, stipulis
ovato- V. anc eolato-snbnlatis integerrimis laeerisqne apicibus g landnligeris, pedúnculo soUtario e lon g a te m edio
b.bracteolato unifloro, sepalis linear i-oblongis acutis basi incrassatis snbprodnetis, petalis in tu s barbatis, in-
fen or e subtus gib b oso, stylo columnari basi g en icu lato.— D D P ro d r . i. 3 0 5 . {Gunn, 9 5 , 9 5 ?, 1 9 4 2 .)
Var. a ; caule abbreviato, stc lon ib n s e longatis, foliis reniformibus subrotnndisve.— V . hederacea, Lab
I . e . ; Re ic /ib. E o h . B o t. t. 1 1 0 .
Var. /3. S te b e r t; caulibus stoloniferis densis, foliis cuneatis rliombeisve.— V . Sieberi, E ooh. Comp. B o t.
Mag. 1 . 2 7 4 , -Tmrn. B o t. ii. 4 0 6 . V . spathulate, Sieb. P la n t. E rsie e . 4 2 6 .
Var. y .p e t i o l a r u ; foliis lon g iu s petiolatis oordato-reniformibus.— DC . A c .; Sieb. P la n t. E x s i e e .n . \ t , \ .
Hab. Th roughout the I s la n d ; all th e states verv common.— (Ï1. Oct. N o v .) (n n )
Dis t b ib . N ew Son th W a le s and South-eastern Australia.
-«te r a very attentive exammation ot «1 the forms o f this plant in a Uving stale, I feel convinced that they are
referable to one common variable speeies. which grews in wet and dry, shaded and exposed, alpine and lowland
situations, on pastures, roadsides, and san d , heaths. Mr. Gunn, who has sent copious specimens and full notes, comes
to the same conclusion, and says that he has vainly endeavoured to limit even the varieties. The prominent differences
a r e - ( l ) the perfectly glabrons and very pubescent forms, the latter frequenting drier soU ; (2 ) the form of
foliage indicated under tlie varieties ; (3) the size, from 1 to 6 inches, and from solitary plants to patches monopolizing
many yards of soil ; (4) the habit, from a stunted, densely-tufted plant, with the stolones reduced to short
lateral branches from the top o f the root, to a slender, straggling herb, with the stolones so long ( 3 - 5 inches) and numerous
that the original plant is not distinguishable amougst the mass ; (5) the size o f the flowers, from 2 lines
to nearly half an incli ; (6) that of the fmit, the capsules being 2 lines to 4 lines long ; ( 7 ) that o f the stipules,
from broad ovate-subulate, entire, imbricating, to Knear-lanceolate, laciniated, almost leafy ; the former being most
abundant on the plants of a diy soil, the latter on those inhabiting wetter and shaded places.
2 . V io la betonicæfolia (Sm. R ee s’ C jc l. n. 7) ; cæspitosa, glabra, foliis erectis oblongo- v . lineari-
V. cordato- v. sagittato-lanceolatis obtusis obscure crenatis, stipulis ovato- v. lanceolato-subulatis integr is
laciniatisve, pedunculis unifloris infra medium bibracteolatis, sepalis oblongo-lanc eolatis, calcare lato brevi,
stylo columnari gen icu lato apice conico incrassato truncato.— DD. P ro d r . i. 294. {Gunn, 84.)
H a b . Common in m o ist, g o od soil, marshes, e tc ., th roughout the Islan d .— (FI. Oc t. N o v .) {v. v.)
Dist r ib . N ew Sou th W a le s and South-eastern Australia.
A very pretty Violet, much more resembling its English congeners than V. kedet-acea does, extremely variable
in size, fi-om an inch to a span high.— Leaves elongated. Floteéis handsome, J - f inch broad, pale blue. Petals
very variable m form, the lower with a short blunt pouch or spur.— This is very nearly allied to the V. P atrinii,
DC., of India and Cliina, but has a much shorter spur.
Gen. I I . H Y M E N A N T H E R A , B r .
Flo re s regulares. S ep a la 5. P e ta la 5, patenti-recurva, oblique imbricata. S tam in a subsessilia, in
tubum counata, connectivo in cristam producto, dorso appendiculato. Ovarium 1-loculare. S ty lu s brevis,
bifidus, ramis intus stigmatiferis, ovuhs 2 parietalibus oppositis. Bacca l-locularis, 2- rarius 1-sperma
Semina parietibus oppositis affixa, superposita, superius horizontale, inferius pendulum; testa Crustacea;
albumine copioso; embryone cylindraceo; radicula hilo próxima.— Frútices foliis p a r v is , su lco ria -
ceis, a lte rn is ; stipulis floribus p a r v is .
The only species of tliis remarkable genus known to me are— (1) II. dentafa, from New South Wales ; (2)
H. latifolia, End., of Norfolk Island ; (3) H. crassifolia., Hook, fil., from New Zealand; and (4) the present, II. angustifolia,
o f Tasmania. The H. BauJcsii (F. Müller, MSS., fr'om Victoria, name only) I have not seen. All form
small, woody, brandling sluubs, often spinous, with small, toothed or entire leaves, and minute flowers.— Flowers
régulai-. Sepals flve. Petals five, erect, with recurved apices. Stamens five, sessile, united into a tube. Anthers
with an expanded connective, crested at the back. Ovary one-celled, with two opposite parietal o\-ules. Berry
two-seeded.— De CandoUe quotes Brown as describing the b eny as two-celled; it certainly is not so iu the
Tasmanian aud New Zealand species. (Name from iugv, a membrane; in allusion to the appendage at the back
o f the anther.)
1. Hymenanthera angustifolia (Br. in DC . Prodr. i. 315) ; foliis linearibus obovato- v. cuueato-
linearibusve integerrimis apice rotundatis re tusisve .— Hook. Comp, to B o t. M a g . i. 274. {Gunn, 459,
1945.)
H a b . Northern parts o f the Islan d , P or t Dalrymple, B r o tm ; Launceston, and summit o f Western
Mountains, 3-40ÜÜ fe e t; Ai-thur’s L akes, and Vale o f Belvoir, Gunn.— (FI. N o v .)
This remarkable plant forms, near Launceston, an impenetrable thicket, 6 -8 feet high, with twiggy branches,
usually monopolizing patches o f good rich soU {Gunn), whereas on the mountains it grows appressed to the rocks,
and has stiff, gnarled branches.— Bark pale grey, papUlose. Leaves soUtary or tufted, ! - l inch long, linear, more
or less dilated upwards, or cuneate, coriaceous, quite entire. Flmcers minute, I inch broad, nearly sessile on the
branches, having very short bibracteolatß pedicels. Bracteolcs connate. Calyx-lobes rounded, glaucous, with