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Howell's violet, violette de Howell

Canada violet, Canada white violet, Canadian violet, Canadian white violet, rugose violet

Habit Plants perennial, caulescent, not stoloniferous, 2–44 cm. Plants perennial, caulescent, not stoloniferous, 3–46(–60) cm, with branching rhizomes forming colonies or not.
Stems

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

1–3(4), usually erect to ascending, glabrous or puberulent, from fleshy or 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.

basal and cauline;

basal: 1–5;

stipules ± oblong, ovate, or lanceolate, margins entire, sometimes glandular, apex acuminate to cuspidate;

petiole 1.1–23 cm, glabrous or puberulent;

blade ovate to broadly ovate or ovate-reniform, 0.7–12.4 × 0.9–11.1(–12.3) cm, base cordate, subcordate, or truncate, margins crenate, crenulate, or serrulate, ciliate (sometimes only on proximal 1/2) or eciliate, apex acute to acuminate, surfaces glabrous or puberulent (often only on veins);

cauline similar to basal except: stipules also deltate, margins also erose or laciniate, apex acute, long-acuminate to cuspidate, or ± truncate, occasionally 2- or 3-fid;

petiole 0.1–6.9(–15.2) cm;

blade ovate to deltate, 1.2–7.7 × 0.8–7.8 cm, base cordate to truncate, margins crenate or crenulate to ± serrulate.

Peduncles

2.8–17.8 cm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent.

1–6.1 cm, glabrate to puberulent, sometimes glabrous below bracteoles.

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, margins usually eciliate, auricles 0.5–1.3 mm;

petals white adaxially, upper 2 and lower 3 tinged soft reddish violet abaxially, rarely white on both surfaces, all petals usually with yellow patch basally, lower 3 usually purple-veined, lateral 2 bearded, lowest 5.5–20 mm, spur white, gibbous, 1–2 mm;

style head bearded; cleistogamous flowers axillary or absent.

Capsules

ellipsoid, 7–11 mm, glabrous.

ovoid to ellipsoid, 2.5–10 mm, sometimes muriculate, glabrous or puberulent.

Seeds

light brown, 2.1–2.8 mm.

brown to dark brown or purplish black, 1.5–2.5 mm.

2n

= 40, 80.

Viola howellii

Viola canadensis

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jul.
Habitat Moist, shady areas, coniferous forests, prairies, along streams
Elevation 50–1500 m (200–4900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; AL; AR; AZ; CO; CT; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MT; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NY; OH; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NS; NT; ON; QC; SK; YT
[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.)

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

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

Key
1. Rhizomes branched
var. rugulosa
1. Rhizomes not branched
→ 2
2. Plants 11–46 cm; basal leaf blades 2.4–9.2 cm wide.
var. canadensis
2. Plants 3–14(–18) cm; basal leaf blades 0.9–3.8 cm wide.
var. scopulorum
Source FNA vol. 6, p. 134. FNA vol. 6, p. 125.
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. bicolor, V. biflora, V. blanda, V. brittoniana, 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
Subordinate taxa
V. canadensis var. canadensis, V. canadensis var. rugulosa, V. canadensis var. scopulorum
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 22: 308. (1887) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 936. (1753)
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