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Howell's violet, violette de Howell

field pansy, violette de Rafinesque, wild pansy

Habit Plants perennial, caulescent, not stoloniferous, 2–44 cm.
Stems

1–4, ascending to erect (sometimes later reclining to nearly prostrate), glabrous or sparsely pubescent, on caudex from subligneous rhizome.

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.

Peduncles

2.8–17.8 cm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent.

1–4.5 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 ovate to lanceolate, margins ciliate or eciliate, auricles 0.5–2 mm;

petals white or cream to pale bluish violet on both surfaces, dark purple-veined, lateral 2 longer than sepals, bearded, lowest 8–10 mm, spur white to blue-violet, gibbous, 1–1.5 mm, shorter than or equaling sepal auricles;

style head bearded; cleistogamous flowers axillary.

Capsules

ellipsoid, 7–11 mm, glabrous.

ellipsoid to oblong, 4–7 mm, glabrous.

Seeds

light brown, 2.1–2.8 mm.

beige to bronze, 0.3–1.5 mm.

2n

= 40, 80.

= 34.

Viola howellii

Viola bicolor

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jul. Flowering Mar–May.
Habitat Moist, shady areas, coniferous forests, prairies, along streams Prairies, open woodlands, fields, pastures, roadsides, lawns, waste ground
Elevation 50–1500 m (200–4900 ft) 0–3000 m (0–9800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; AR; AZ; CO; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; MO; MS; NC; NE; NJ; NM; NY; OH; OK; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; VA; WV; ON; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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.)

Viola bicolor is the only pansy native to North America (V. B. Baird 1942; J. Clausen et al. 1964; A. E. Radford et al. 1968) and is the only annual Viola species that produces cleistogamous flowers (Baird; A. Gershoy 1934). Roots of V. bicolor have the odor of wintergreen when crushed (W. J. Hayden and J. Clough 1990).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 6, p. 134. FNA vol. 6, p. 122.
Parent taxa Violaceae > Viola Violaceae > Viola
Sibling taxa
V. adunca, V. affinis, V. arvensis, V. bakeri, V. beckwithii, V. bicolor, V. biflora, V. blanda, V. brittoniana, V. canadensis, V. canina, V. charlestonensis, V. clauseniana, V. cucullata, V. cuneata, V. douglasii, V. egglestonii, V. epipsila, V. flettii, V. frank-smithii, V. glabella, V. guadalupensis, V. hallii, V. hastata, V. hirsutula, V. japonica, V. labradorica, V. lanceolata, V. langsdorffii, V. lithion, V. lobata, V. macloskeyi, V. missouriensis, V. nephrophylla, V. novae-angliae, V. nuttallii, V. ocellata, V. odorata, V. orbiculata, V. palmata, V. palustris, V. pedata, V. pedatifida, V. pedunculata, V. pinetorum, V. praemorsa, V. primulifolia, V. prionantha, V. pubescens, V. purpurea, V. quercetorum, V. renifolia, V. riviniana, V. rostrata, V. rotundifolia, V. sagittata, V. selkirkii, V. sempervirens, V. septemloba, V. sheltonii, V. sororia, V. striata, V. subsinuata, V. tomentosa, V. tricolor, V. trinervata, V. tripartita, V. umbraticola, V. utahensis, V. vallicola, V. villosa, V. walteri
V. adunca, V. affinis, V. arvensis, V. bakeri, V. beckwithii, V. biflora, V. blanda, V. brittoniana, V. canadensis, V. canina, V. charlestonensis, V. clauseniana, V. cucullata, V. cuneata, V. douglasii, V. egglestonii, V. epipsila, V. flettii, V. frank-smithii, V. glabella, V. guadalupensis, V. hallii, V. hastata, V. hirsutula, V. howellii, V. japonica, V. labradorica, V. lanceolata, V. langsdorffii, V. lithion, V. lobata, V. macloskeyi, V. missouriensis, V. nephrophylla, V. novae-angliae, V. nuttallii, V. ocellata, V. odorata, V. orbiculata, V. palmata, V. palustris, V. pedata, V. pedatifida, V. pedunculata, V. pinetorum, V. praemorsa, V. primulifolia, V. prionantha, V. pubescens, V. purpurea, V. quercetorum, V. renifolia, V. riviniana, V. rostrata, V. rotundifolia, V. sagittata, V. selkirkii, V. sempervirens, V. septemloba, V. sheltonii, V. sororia, V. striata, V. subsinuata, V. tomentosa, V. tricolor, V. trinervata, V. tripartita, V. umbraticola, V. utahensis, V. vallicola, V. villosa, V. walteri
Synonyms V. kitaibeliana var. rafinesquei, V. rafinesquei
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 22: 308. (1887) Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 1: 175. (1813)
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