_Herbs, with a somewhat irregular 1-spurred corolla of 5 petals, 5 hypogynous stamens with adnate introrse anthers conniving over the pistil, and a 1-celled 3-valved pod with 3 parietal placentæ._--Sepals 5, persistent. Petals imbricated in the bud. Stamens with their short and broad filaments continued beyond the anther-cells, and often coherent with each other. Style usually club-shaped, with the simple stigma turned to one side. Valves of the capsule bearing the several-seeded placentæ on their middle; after opening, each valve as it dries folds together lengthwise firmly, projecting the seeds. Seeds anatropous, rather large, with a hard seed-coat, and a large and straight embryo nearly as long as the albumen; cotyledons flat.--Leaves alternate, with stipules. Flowers axillary, nodding. (Roots slightly acrid or emetic.) 1. Viola. Sepals auricled. Lower petal spurred. Stamens distinct, the 2 lower spurred. 2. Solea. Sepals not auricled. Petals equal in length. Stamens united into a sheath. 3. Ionidium. Sepals not auricled. Petals very unequal. Filaments distinct, the anthers merely connivent. 1. VÌOLA, Tourn. VIOLET. HEART'S-EASE. Sepals extended into ears at the base. Petals somewhat unequal, the lower one spurred at the base. Stamens closely surrounding the ovary, often slightly cohering with each other; the two lower bearing spurs which project into the spur of the corolla. Besides these conspicuous blossoms, which appear in spring, others are produced later (especially in the stemless species), on shorter peduncles or on runners, usually concealed under the leaves; these never open nor develop petals, but are fertilized in the bud, and are far more fruitful than the ordinary blossoms. (The ancient Latin name of the genus.) § 1. _Perennials; stipules never leaf-like, the lower more or less scarious._ [*] _Stemless, the leaves and scapes directly from a rootstock or from runners._ [+] _Stigma large, naked, not beaked; stolons none; rootstock short and thick._ 1. V. pedàta, L. (BIRD-FOOT V.) Nearly smooth; rootstock erect, not scaly; _leaves all 3--5-divided_, or the earliest only parted, the lateral divisions 2--3-parted, all linear or narrowly spatulate, sometimes 2--3-toothed or cut at the apex; flower large, 1´ broad, pale or deep lilac-purple or blue.--Sandy or gravelly soil, New Eng. to Minn., and southward.--Var. BÍCOLOR, Pursh, a very handsome variety, with the two upper petals deep violet, and as it were velvety, occurs sparingly from Mass. to Md.; most common in N. J., on shale. [+][+] _Stigma small, naked, often beaked or pointed._ [++] _Rootstock fleshy and thickened, never filiform nor producing runners; flowers violet or purple (rarely white); lateral petals bearded._ 2. V. pedatífida, G. Don. Leaves all palmately or pedately 5--7-parted; divisions 2--3-cleft; lobes linear; otherwise like n. 3. (V. delphinifolia, _Nutt._)--Rich prairies, or more often in dry poor land, Ill. to Kan. and Minn.