Viola howellii |
Viola affinis |
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Howell's violet, violette de Howell |
Le Conte's violet, sand violet, violette affine |
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Habit | Plants perennial, caulescent, not stoloniferous, 2–44 cm. | Plants perennial, acaulescent, not stoloniferous, 5–15 cm; rhizome slender, becoming thick and fleshy with age. |
Stems | 1–4, ascending to erect (sometimes later reclining to nearly prostrate), glabrous or sparsely pubescent, on caudex from subligneous rhizome. |
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Leaves | basal and cauline; basal: 1–6; stipules linear-lanceolate to oblong, margins mostly entire or laciniate with gland-tipped projections, apex acute to acuminate; petiole 4–15 cm, glabrous or sparsely puberulent; blade ovate to reniform, 1.9–6.8 × 2.1–6.4 cm, thin, base cordate, margins crenate, ciliate, apex acute to usually obtuse, surfaces glabrous or sparsely puberulent; cauline similar to basal except: stipules linear-lanceolate or deltate to oblong, apex acute or long-acuminate; petiole 1–4.5 cm; blade 2–5.1 × 1.2–5.8 cm. |
basal, 1–6, ascending to erect; stipules lanceolate, margins entire or fimbriate, apex acute; petiole 2–10 cm, glabrous; blade green abaxially, unlobed, narrowly to broadly ovate or narrowly deltate, 1.5–10 × 1.5–10 cm, not fleshy, base cordate to broadly cordate or almost truncate, margins crenate to serrate, ciliate or eciliate, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces sparsely pubescent adaxially, rarely glabrous. |
Peduncles | 2.8–17.8 cm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent. |
3–15 cm, glabrous or pubescent. |
Flowers | sepals lanceolate, margins ciliate or eciliate, auricles 1–2 mm; petals violet to soft blue-violet on both surfaces, whitish basally, lower 3 dark violet-veined, lateral 2 densely bearded, lowest 14–23 mm, spur blue-violet to whitish, gibbous to elongated, 2.4–5 mm, usually less than 1/2 lowest petal, tip straight; style head bearded; cleistogamous flowers axillary. |
sepals lanceolate to ovate, margins ciliate or eciliate, auricles 1–2 mm; petals lavender-violet to dull reddish violet on both surfaces, lower 3 white basally and darker violet-veined, lateral 2 bearded, lowest 10–22 mm, usually obviously bearded, rarely beardless, spur white or same color as petals, gibbous, 2–3 mm; style head beardless; cleistogamous flowers from prostrate to ascending peduncles. |
Capsules | ellipsoid, 7–11 mm, glabrous. |
often reddish or purplish-flecked or green, ellipsoid, 5–10 mm, glabrous or puberulent. |
Seeds | light brown, 2.1–2.8 mm. |
beige, mottled to bronze, 1.5–2.5 mm. |
2n | = 40, 80. |
= 54. |
Viola howellii |
Viola affinis |
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Phenology | Flowering Apr–Jul. | Flowering Apr–Jun. |
Habitat | Moist, shady areas, coniferous forests, prairies, along streams | Open or wooded wet areas, meadows, stream banks, thickets, shores of lakes, seasonally dry areas. |
Elevation | 50–1500 m (200–4900 ft) | 100–2000 m (300–6600 ft) |
Distribution |
CA; OR; WA; BC
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CT; DC; DE; IL; IN; MA; MD; MI; MN; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; VA; VT; WI; WV; ON; QC |
Discussion | Viola howellii is similar to V. adunca and usually occupies moister habitats along the western side of the Cascade Mountains (H. E. Ballard 1992). The first documented record of this species in California was recently reported from Siskiyou County (R. J. Little 2010). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
L. E. McKinney (1992) considered Viola affinis, and much of what botanists had called V. nephrophylla, to be essentially the same taxon. After studying additional specimens, reviewing literature (H. E. Ballard 1994; A. Haines 2001b), and discussions with others (J. Cayouette, H. E. Ballard, A. Haines, pers. comm.), he chose to maintain these as separate taxa. Reports of V. affinis in the Gulf coastal states based on specimens or photographs are usually attributable to V. missouriensis. Viola affinis reportedly hybridizes with V. hirsutula (= V. ×consobrina House), V. cucullata (= V. ×consocia House), V. brittoniana (= V. ×davisii House), V. sororia (= V. ×filicetorum Greene [as species]), V. sagittata var. sagittata (= V. ×hollickii House), and V. nephrophylla (= V. ×subaffinis House). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 6, p. 134. | FNA vol. 6, p. 120. |
Parent taxa | Violaceae > Viola | Violaceae > Viola |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | V. affinis var. subarctica, V. crenulata, V. sororia subsp. affinis, V. sororia var. affinis, V. subviscosa, V. venustula | |
Name authority | A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 22: 308. (1887) | Leconte: Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York 2: 138. (1826) |
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