Viola cuneata |
Viola brittoniana |
|
---|---|---|
northern two-eyed or wedge-leaf violet, northern two-eyed violet, wedge-leaf violet |
coast violet, coastal violet, northern coastal violet |
|
Habit | Plants perennial, caulescent, not stoloniferous, 2–25 cm. | Plants perennial, acaulescent, not stoloniferous, 5–30 cm; rhizome thick, fleshy. |
Stems | 1–3, usually erect, sometimes prostrate or ascending, glabrous, from shallow, fleshy rhizome or deep-seated caudex with fleshy roots. |
|
Leaves | basal and cauline; basal: 2–6; stipules lanceolate, margins entire or gland-toothed, apex acute; petiole 4.5–9.8 cm, glabrous; blade purple-veined, orbiculate-ovate to deltate, 1–4 × 2.7–3.8 cm, usually shiny, leathery, base cuneate, margins serrate, eciliate, apex acute, mucronulate, surfaces glabrous; cauline similar to basal except: stipules lanceolate to ovate, margins entire or erose to lacerate, with or without gland-tipped processes, apex acute to acuminate; petiole 0.5–20 cm; blade usually rhombic, sometimes orbiculate, 0.9–2.6 × 0.7–1.8 cm, margins crenate to ± serrate, apex acute to obtuse. |
basal, 5–9, ascending to erect, 5–9-lobed; stipules linear-lanceolate, margins entire, apex obtuse; petiole 3–16 cm, usually glabrous; mid-season blades incised or lobed throughout, earliest blades lobed (plants homophyllous), similar to mid-season blades, middle and lateral blade lobes differ in width and/or shape, middle lobes lanceolate or spatulate to narrowly obovate, lateral lobes lanceolate or spatulate to falcate (each sometimes with deltate to falcate appendages or teeth along margins), 1–7 × 2–8 cm, base truncate to cordate, margins entire, ciliate, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces usually glabrous, rarely with a few strigose, hairs concentrated on veins. |
Peduncles | 1–10.5 cm, glabrous. |
5–18 cm, usually glabrous. |
Flowers | sepals lanceolate, margins eciliate, auricles 0.5–1 mm; petals deep reddish violet abaxially, white adaxially, upper 2 sometimes with purple patch basally, lateral 2 with purple patch basally beyond smaller yellow area, usually bearded, sometimes beardless, lowest purple-veined with yellow area basally, 8–14 mm, spur yellow, gibbous, 1–2 mm; style head bearded; cleistogamous flowers axillary. |
sepals lanceolate to ovate, margins ciliate or eciliate, auricles 2–3 mm; petals light to soft reddish violet on both surfaces, lower 3 white basally, dark violet-veined, lateral 2 bearded, lowest 10–25 mm, sometimes bearded, spur same color as petals, gibbous, 2–3 mm; style head beardless; cleistogamous flowers on ascending to erect peduncles. |
Capsules | ± spherical, 5–9 mm, glabrous. |
ellipsoid, 10–15 mm, glabrous. |
Seeds | deep brown-purple, 2.1–3 mm. |
beige, mottled to bronze, 1.5–2.5 mm. |
2n | = 54. |
|
Viola cuneata |
Viola brittoniana |
|
Phenology | Flowering Mar–Sep. | Flowering Apr–Jun. |
Habitat | Open pine or oak forests, often serpentine soil | Alluvial woods, mesic forests on slopes near streams, wet fields, salt meadows |
Elevation | 600–2200 m (2000–7200 ft) | 0–100 m (0–300 ft) |
Distribution |
CA; OR
|
CT; DE; MA; MD; ME; NC; NJ; NY; PA; SC; VA |
Discussion | Viola cuneata often occurs on serpentine-derived soil and is closely related to V. flettii, V. hallii, and V. ocellata (V. B. Baird 1942). Originally described as beardless by Watson, the lateral petals of flowers in the same population can be prominently bearded or essentially beardless. The cauline blades of Viola cuneata are often vertical, especially early in season. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Britton considered Viola brittoniana similar to V. pedatifida, apparently making him the first to recognize their affinity. Both are homophyllous and similar in other characters (L. E. McKinney 1992). McKinney recognized V. brittoniana as a variety of V. pedatifida. Additional evidence (N. L. Gil-Ad 1997; A. Haines 2011) suggests that these taxa are sufficiently distinct to continue recognition as separate species. Viola pectinata has sharply dentate leaves and is closely related to V. brittoniana, usually occurring with it. N. L. Gil-Ad (1997) made a convincing argument to recognize it as a form; A. Haines (2011) recognized it as a species. Others have considered it to be a sporadic form that may be of hybrid origin, or, as N. H. Russell (1965) suggested, is due to genetic dimorphism. We are reserving a decision on treating this taxon until additional studies are completed. A. Haines (2011) reported that the distribution of Viola brittoniana in Maine is actually based on the hybrid V. ×insolita House (V. brittoniana × V. sororia). Viola brittoniana reportedly hybridizes with V. cucullata (= V. ×notabilis E. P. Bicknell), V. sagittata var. sagittata (= V. ×mulfordiae Pollard), and V. sororia (= V. ×insolita). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 6, p. 129. | FNA vol. 6, p. 125. |
Parent taxa | Violaceae > Viola | Violaceae > Viola |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | V. atlantica, V. baxteri, V. brittoniana var. pectinata, V. pectinata, V. pedatifida subsp. brittoniana, V. pedatifida var. brittoniana | |
Name authority | S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 290. (1879) | Pollard: Bot. Gaz. 26: 332. (1898) |
Web links |