Viola hastata
Viola brittoniana
halberd-leaf or halberdleaf yellow violet, halberdleaf yellow violet
coast violet, coastal violet, northern coastal violet
1(–2), erect, leafless proximally, leafy distally, glabrous or sparsely puberulent, from fleshy rhizome.
basal and cauline;
basal: 0–1;
stipules ovate to lanceolate, margins laciniate with gland-tipped projections, apex usually acuminate;
petiole 3–11.5 cm, usually glabrous;
blade sometimes gray-green abaxially, usually mottled light green adaxially, widely or narrowly hastate to ovate, 2.5–4.4 × 1.8–3.2 cm, base hastate to cordate or truncate, margins serrate or crenate, ciliate or eciliate, apex acute, surfaces usually glabrous, sometimes scabrous;
cauline similar to basal except: leaves usually restricted to distal ends of naked stems;
petiole 1–2.5 cm;
blade 2–10 × 1.1–4.5 cm.
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.
1–5.3 cm, usually glabrous.
5–18 cm, usually glabrous.
sepals lanceolate to ovate, margins mostly eciliate, auricles 0.5–1 mm;
petals lemon-yellow usually on both surfaces, lower 3 and sometimes upper 2 brownish purple-veined, lateral 2 bearded, lowest 9.5–12 mm, spur yellow to greenish, gibbous, 0.5–2 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.
ovoid to ellipsoid, 6–8 mm, glabrous.
ellipsoid, 10–15 mm, glabrous.
beige to bronze, 2–2.5 mm.
beige, mottled to bronze, 1.5–2.5 mm.
= 12.
= 54.
Viola hastata
Viola brittoniana
V. B. Baird (1942) commented that Viola hastata is more closely related to V. glabella than to any eastern species.
(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.)
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