Viola epipsila |
Viola lithion |
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Canada violet, dwarf marsh violet, northern marsh violet |
rock violet |
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Habit | Plants perennial, caulescent, not stoloniferous, 5–15 cm. | |
Stems | 1–3, ascending to erect, glabrous, on caudex from fleshy rhizome. |
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Leaves | basal and cauline; basal: 1–4; stipules unknown; petiole 1–10 cm, glabrous, sometimes finely puberulent; blade broadly ovate or deltate to broadly deltate, 1–2.5(–2.9) × 0.6–2.2(–2.6) cm, base usually cordate to truncate, rarely rounded, margins crenate-dentate, eciliate, apex acute, surfaces glabrous; cauline similar to basal except: stipules lanceolate, margins usually fimbriate-toothed, sometimes entire, apex attenuate or acute; petiole 1.1–3.7 cm, sometimes finely puberulent; blade ovate to deltate, 0.7–2.2 × 0.4–1.2 cm, base sometimes rounded on distal blades. |
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Peduncles | 3–6(–10) cm, glabrous. |
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Flowers | sepals lanceolate, margins eciliate, auricles 0.5–1 mm; petals blue to pale violet on both surfaces with yellow area basally, lower 3 purple-veined, lowest with yellow area, lateral 2 bearded, lowest 5.5–11 mm, spur white to pale violet, gibbous, 0.5–1.3 mm; style head bearded; cleistogamous flowers unknown. |
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Capsules | subglobose, ca. 5 mm, glabrous. |
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Seeds | dark brown, ca. 1.8 mm. |
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Viola epipsila |
Viola lithion |
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Phenology | Flowering Jun–Aug. | |
Habitat | Seasonally wet cracks and crevices, narrow ledges of rock outcrops, shaded northeast-facing avalanche chutes, cirque headwalls, subalpine conifer zone | |
Elevation | 2300–3100 m (7500–10200 ft) | |
Distribution |
AK; CO; MI; AB; BC; MB; NT; NU; ON; YT; Europe; Asia |
NV; UT |
Discussion | Varieties 2 (1 in the flora). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Of conservation concern. Viola lithion is known only from the White Pine Range in Nevada and the Pilot Range straddling the Nevada-Utah border. It is related to V. canadensis and V. flettii. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 6, p. 130. | FNA vol. 6, p. 136. |
Parent taxa | Violaceae > Viola | Violaceae > Viola |
Sibling taxa | ||
Subordinate taxa | ||
Name authority | Ledebour: Index Seminum (Dorpat) 1820: 5. (1820) | N. H. Holmgren & P. K. Holmgren: Brittonia 44: 300, fig. 1A – D. (1992) |
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