Viola hirsutula
Viola orbiculata
southern woodland violet
darkwoods violet, evergreen yellow violet, round-leaf or round-leaf wood or western round-leaf or evergreen violet, round-leaf violet, violette orbiculaire
1–5, prostrate or erect, leafy proximally and distally, usually glabrous, from current and/or previous year’s growth, on usually vertical, fleshy rhizome.
basal, 2–4, prostrate or nearly so;
stipules linear-lanceolate, margins entire, apex acute;
petiole 1–10 cm, usually glabrous;
blade unlobed, reniform to ovate, 1–6 × 1–5 cm, base cordate, margins serrate, ciliate or eciliate, apex rounded, adaxial leaf surface with silvery strigose patches.
basal and cauline;
basal: 3–11;
stipules deltate to lanceolate, margins entire, apex acute to acuminate;
petiole 2.1–10.5 cm, glabrous or pubescent;
blade usually orbiculate to broadly ovate, sometimes reniform, 1.4–5.3 × 1.4–5.3 cm, base cordate, margins crenate to serrulate-crenulate, eciliate or sparingly ciliate, apex usually obtuse, rarely acute, abaxial surface usually glabrous, adaxial surface sparsely pubescent;
cauline similar to basal except: stipules lanceolate to ovate, margins usually entire, ciliate;
petiole 0.7–1 cm, glabrous or pubescent;
blade 1.2–2 × 1.1–1.4 cm.
2–12 cm, glabrous.
2.7–5.6 cm, glabrous.
sepals lanceolate to ovate, margins ciliate or eciliate, auricles 1–2 mm;
petals light to deep reddish violet to blue-violet on both surfaces, 3 lower whitish basally, dark violet-veined, lateral 2 densely bearded, lowest 11–17 mm, spur violet, gibbous, 2–3 mm;
style head beardless; cleistogamous flowers on prostrate to ascending peduncles.
sepals narrow to broadly lanceolate, margins eciliate, auricles 0.5–1.5 mm;
upper 2 and lateral 2 petals deep lemon-yellow on both surfaces, lower 3 and sometimes upper 2 brownish purple-veined, lateral 2 usually bearded, lowest 8–17 mm, spur usually yellow, sometimes whitish, gibbous, 1.5–2.5 mm;
style head bearded; cleistogamous flowers axillary.
ellipsoid, 8–12 mm, glabrous.
ellipsoid, 6–8 mm, glabrous.
beige, mottled to bronze, 1–1.5 mm.
light to dark brown, sometimes mottled with white, 2–2.3 mm.
= 54.
= 24.
Viola hirsutula
Viola orbiculata
Viola hirsutula exhibits little phenotypic plasticity. Although considered by N. L. Gil-Ad (1997) to be a putative hybrid, he did not identify the potential parents and chose not to recognize it. A. Cronquist in H. A. Gleason and Cronquist (1991) considered V. hirsutula a form of V. villosa. Viola hirsutula is considered one of the more distinct species throughout its range by McKinney because of the pattern of silvery strigose patches on adaxial leaf surfaces and a more prostrate growth habit than similar species. He believes V. hirsutula is one of the least variable species in the flora. Viola hirsutula appears to occur much less frequently than herbarium collections suggest. Some herbarium specimens are misidentified and represent depauperate plants, usually of V. sororia. These specimens are often hairy on the adaxial leaf surfaces but lack the silvery patches.
Viola hirsutula reportedly hybridizes with V. sororia var. sororia (= V. ×cordifolia [Nuttall] Schweinitz) and V. sagittata var. sagittata (= V. ×redacta House).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
During winter, the basal leaves of Viola orbiculata are appressed to the ground under the weight of snow. The leaves overwinter and are often partly or entirely green after the snow has melted. Mature plants possess 3–11 basal leaves, some derived from previous years and others from the current year’s growth. Occasional plants are found with short, thin stems rooted at the tip and producing a rosette of leaves and stems, showing the close relationship with V. sempervirens.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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