ovate: placentse linear.—Erect shrubs, with alternate leaves. Stipules in
paits. Flowers in axillary many-flowered racemes, or in crowded fascicles:
pedicels with 2 bracteoles near the middle.
1. N. acuminata (DC.): leaves lanceolate, on short petioles, ciliate, toothed,
the apex produced into a long entire point; pedicels solitary, rather shorter
than the leaves. DC. prodr. 1. p. 290.
North America, Michaux, ex DC.—This plant is inserted on the authority
of De Candolle, who states that he saw it in the herbarium of the Museum
of Paris, under the name of Violseoides, Michx. mss. He asks whether it is
not a variety of N. orchidiflora. It has doubtless been recorded as a native
of N. America by mistake.
2. VIOLA. Lin n .; Gcertn.fr. t. 112 ; Gingins, in DC.prodr. 1. p. 291'..
Sepals unequal, more or less auricled at the base. Petals unequal; the superior
(by resupination inferior) one Spurred at the base. Stamens approximated,
filaments distinct, dilated at the base; the two lower ones with appendages
on the back which are concealed in the spur: anthers connate; the
lobes diverging at the base. Ovary sometimes surrounded at the base by the
concave torus, and then apparently half inferior. Capsule bursting elastically..
Seeds horizontal, with an evident caruncle.—Low herbaceous plants, mostly
perennial, with a short subterraneous stem or rhizoma (and then called acau-
lescent or stemless), or caulescent. Leaves alternate. Peduncles angular,,
solitary, 1-ilowered, with two little bracteoles, recurved at the summit, so-
that the flower is resupinate or nodding.
§ 1. Stigma rostrate; the beak more or less recurved', with a foramen at
the extremity, margined or convex on the back: style attenuated from
the summit to the bate: stamens oblong: torus fla ttish : capsule often
3-sided: seeds numerous (15-30). Gingins.
* Acaulescent.
1. V. pedata (Linn.): nearly glabrous; leaves pedately about 7-parted-;
segments linear-lanceolate, entire, or incisely 3-toothed at the summit; stigma
large and thick, margined, obliquely truncate ; beak very short; petals all
glabrous.—Michx. ! fl. 2. p. 151; Schwein. ! mon. Viol, in Sill. jour. 5.
p. 50; T o r r.! fl. 1. p. 249 ; DC. prodr. 1. p. 291; Le Conte ! mon. Viol,
in ann. lyc. New- York, 2. p. 147. Hook. fl. Bor.-Am. 1. p. 74. V. digitata,
Pursh, fl. 1. p. 171; V. flabellifolia, Lodd. hot. cab. t. 777.
Dry sandy woods and on rocky hills, British America, lat. 53°, to Florida !
and west to Illinois !—Rhizoma thick. Leaves of a firm texture ; the segments
sometimes very narrow and laciniate. Stipules ciliate. Flowers
very large, usually bright blue, sometimes pale or even white. 2
2. V. delphinifolia (Nutt.! mss.): “minutely pubescent; leaves pedately
7-9-parted; segments linear, 2-3-cleft; stigma thick, distinctly rostrate; the
2 superior petals pubescent; the 3 inferior emarginate ; spur saccate, short.
“ Prairies of Missouri, near Independence, not uncommon. March.—
Rhizoma thick. Leaves pubescent on the margin and nerves; often finely
divided, with numerous lobes. Stipules ovate-lanceolate, much acuminated,
neatly entire. Peduncles, at the time of flowering, a little longer than the
leaves; the bracts minute and alternate. Sepals linear-lanceolate. Flowers
a little smaller than in the preceding species, brilliant blue. Cusps of the
anthers remarkably broad. Style short, clavate.—This species, on the Missouri,
appears to take the place of V. pedata.” Nutt.
3. V. palmata (Linn.) : pubescent; leaves cordate, palmately or hastately
lobed (rarely entire) ; lobes crenate and toothed, the middle one much larger
; stigma triangular, the beak short; inferior petals bearded.—Michx.!
fl.2 . p. 161; Ell. sk. 1. p. 300; Schwein.! 1. c .; Torr.! fl. 1. p. 249;
DC. prodr. 1. p. 292; Le Conte ! 1. c. ; Hook. fl. Bor.-Am. 1. p. 74. V. het-
erophylla, Le Conte! 1. c. V. ranunculifolia, Juss. in Raem. Schult. syst.
5. p. 3521
Low grounds, Canada! to New Orleans! west to Arkansas! May.—
Rhizoma thick. Leaves variable in form and degree of pubescence; rarely
almost glabrous, sometimes woolly ; the early ones nearly or quite entire,
and somewhat ovate and reniform; the base usually more or less hastate;
under surface often purplish. Flowers middle-sized, bright blue, rarely
white.
4. V. cucullata (Ait.): glabrous or rarely somewhat pubescent; leaves
reniform-cordate, somewhat acute, cucullate at the base, crenately -err- ;
stigma triangular, margined; lower petals bearded.—Ait. Kew. 3. p. 288;
Pursh, fl. 1. p. 172; B ig e l.! fl. Bost. p. 60 ; Ell. sk. 1. p. . 298; Schwein. !
1. c. ; Torr.! fl. 1. p. 251; Le Conte! mon. 1. c .; DC. prodr. 1. p. 292;
Hook. fl. Bor.-Am. 1. p. 75. V. papilionacea, Pursh, fl. 1. p. 173; DC.
prodr. 1. c. V. obliqua, Ait. 1. c .; Schwein.! l.c .; Torr.! 1. c. V. aflinis,
Le Conte! 1. c.
0. congener: villous; leaves broadly and somewhat reniformly cordate,
crenately toothed, somewhat lobed.—V. congener, Le Conte ! 1. c.
y. 1 sororia : nearly glabrous ; leaves exactly cordate; flowers small.—V.
sororia, Willd. hort. Berol. t. 72.
<5. alba: smoothish ; flowers white.
s. reniformis: glabrous; leaves broadly reniform.
Fields,woods, and wet meadows; Arctic America ! to Florida! /?. Georgia,
LeConte! y. Dry hill-sides, Massachusetts to New Jersey ! <S. Kentucky,
S hort! t. Massachusetts, Pickering ! April-Mayjfc-A very variable
species. In wet or shady places it is perfectly glabrous, but in exposed
situations more or less pubescent.
5. V. septemloba (Le Conte): glabrous and shining; leaves somewhat
succulent, ovate-cordate ; lowest ones entire, the others pedately 7-lobed
with the middle lobe largest; lateral petals bearded. Le Conte ! 1. c.
Pine woods of the low country of Carolina and Georgia, Le Conte !—Peduncles
longer than the leaves. Flowers generally blue, varying to white.
Lower petal large, villous at the base, and, as well as the lateral ones, marked
with deeper blue lines. Le C.—We fear that this species is only a variety
of V. palmata.
6. V. Selkirkii (Goldie): leaves cordate, crenately serrate, minutelv hirsute
above, glabrous beneath, the sinus deep and nearly closed; stigma triangular,
margined, with a distinct beak; spur nearly as long as the lamina,
thick, very obtuse.— Goldie! in Edinb. phil. jour. 6. p. 319; Hook.! fl.
Bor.-Am. 1. p. 75.
Hills about Montreal, Lower Canada, Goldie, Dr. Holmes ! Mountains
of Massachusetts, Dewey ! Woody hill-sides in the Western part of the
State of New-York!—Rhizoma somewhat creeping. Leaves numerous,
forming a little tuft, on long petioles; lamina an inch broad, somewhat
acute, or obtuse. Peduncles shorter than the leaves. Flowers much smaller
than in V. cucullata: petals pale blue, obovate; spur very conspicuous,
somewhat dilated at the extremity.—A very distinct species.
18