[ 6*9 ]
V I O L A odorata.
Sweet Violet.
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P E N T A N D R IA Monogynia.
G en. C har. Cal. 3-leaved. Petals 5 , irregular, the
lowermoft fpurred behind. C a tf fuperior, of one
cell, with three valves.
Spec. C har. Stem none. Seyons creeping. Leaves
heart-fhaped, lmoothifh as well as the footftalks.
Calyx obtufe.
S y n . V io la odorata. Linn Sp. PI. 13 2 4 . Hudf. 378.
With. 260. Hull. 191. Relh. 329. Sibtb. 83.
Abbot. 19 0 . Curt Lond. fa jc. x. t. 63.
V. martia purpurea. Rail Syn. 364.
i H E favourite Violet, fo juftly efteemed for its delightful
fragrance, is, like many other moft defirable plants, frequently
found wild, and eaflly cultivated in a garden. It requires only
a moderate degree of ffiade and moifture, and commonly flowers
in March or April. A white-flowered variety fometimes
occurs, and a double one is preferred by florifts, not merely be-
eaufe it is unnatural, but on account of its richer feent.
Root perennial, rather woody. Stem none. Seyons very
long, proftrate, and creeping, leafy, generally not producing
flowers till the fecond year; but that rule is not without, exception.
Leaves on longifh upright nearly fmooth footftalks,
heart-fhaped, ferrated, fmooth, very fiightly downy beneath.
Stipuhe in pairs, lanceolate, dentate, pale. Flower-ftalks taller
than the leaves, Ample, fmooth, bearing a pair of narrow brac-
teas above their middle, and one nodding dark purple irregular
flower. Calyx fmooth. Spur fhort and blunt. Lateral petals
marked with a hairy line on the inflde. Stamina flat. Anthers
orange- coloured, dilated, approaching each other, but fcarcely
connefted, fo that few perfons would look for this genus in the
elafs Syngenejia. The feeds are feveral, and roundifh.