And again in the defile of Gondo, I find “Viola (saxatilis?) name yet wanted;—­in the most delicate studding of its round leaves, like a small fern more than violet, and bright sparkle of small flowers in the dark dripping hollows.  Assuredly delights in shade and distilling moisture of rocks.”

I found afterwards a much larger yellow pansy on the Yorkshire high limestones; with vigorously black crowfoot marking on the lateral petals.

37.  V. VIOLA MONTANA.  Mountain Violet.

Flora Danica, 1329.  Linnaeus, No. 13, “Caulibus erectis, foliis cordato-lanceolatis, floribus serioribus apetalis,” i.e., on erect stems, with leaves long heart-shape, and its later flowers without petals—­not a word said of its earlier flowers which have got those unimportant appendages!  In the plate of the Flora it is a very perfect transitional form between violet and pansy, with beautifully firm and well-curved leaves, but the colour of blossom very pale.  “In subalpinis Norvegiae passim,” all that we are told of it, means I suppose, in the lower Alpine pastures of Norway; in the Flora Suecica, p. 306, habitat in Lapponica, juxta Alpes.

38.  VI.  VIOLA MIRABILIS.  Flora Danica, 1045.  A small and exquisitely formed flower in the balanced cinquefoil intermediate between violet and pansy, but with large and superbly curved and pointed leaves.  It is a mountain violet, but belonging rather to the mountain woods than meadows.  “In sylvaticis in Toten, Norvegiae.”

Loudon, 3056, “Broad-leaved:  Germany.”

Linnaeus, Flora Suecica, 789, says that the flowers of it which have perfect corolla and full scent often bear no seed, but that the later ‘cauline’ blossoms, without petals, are fertile.  “Caulini vero apetali fertiles sunt, et seriores.  Habitat passim Upsaliae.”

I find this, and a plurality of other species, indicated by Linnaeus as having triangular stalks, “caule triquetro,” meaning, I suppose, the kind sketched in Figure 1 above.

39.  VII.  VIOLA ARVENSIS.  Field Violet.  Flora Danica, 1748.  A coarse running weed; nearly like Viola Cornuta, but feebly lilac and yellow in colour.  In dry fields, and with corn.

Flora Suecica, 791; under titles of Viola ‘tricolor’ and ’bicolor arvensis,’ and Herba Trinitatis.  Habitat ubique in sterilibus arvis:  “Planta vix datur in qua evidentius perspicitur generationis opus, quam in hujus cavo apertoque stigmate.”

It is quite undeterminable, among present botanical instructors, how far this plant is only a rampant and over-indulged condition of the true pansy (Viola Psyche); but my own scholars are to remember that the true pansy is full purple and blue with golden centre; and that the disorderly field varieties of it, if indeed not scientifically distinguishable, are entirely separate from the wild flower by their scattered form and faded or altered colour.  I follow the Flora Danica in giving them as a distinct species.