The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

Howell's violet, violette de Howell

common dog-violet, dog violet, wood violet

Habit Plants perennial, caulescent, not stoloniferous, 2–44 cm. Plants perennial, caulescent, not stoloniferous, 1.8–30 cm.
Stems

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

1–5, erect, ascending, or decumbent, glabrous or puberulent, 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.

basal and cauline;

basal: 3–5;

stipules subulate or lanceolate, margins fimbriate, apex acute to acuminate;

petiole 2.5–12 cm, usually glabrous, rarely puberulent;

blade ovate to reniform, 2.3–5.5 × 2.6–5.3 cm, base cordate to deeply cordate, margins crenate, eciliate, apex acute or obtuse, abaxial surface glabrous or sparsely puberulent, adaxial surface usually sparsely puberulent, sometimes glabrous;

cauline similar to basal except: stipules ovate or lanceolate, margins fimbriate, apex long-acuminate;

petiole 1.3–6 cm;

blade ovate or broadly ovate, 1.8–5 × 1.5–4.2 cm, apex acute.

Peduncles

2.8–17.8 cm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent.

2.8–10 cm, glabrous, sometimes puberulent.

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 eciliate;

auricles 1.8–2.5 mm (enlarged in fruit);

petals violet on both surfaces, lower 3 usually white basally, rarely violet, dark violet-veined, lateral 2 bearded, lowest 13–17 mm, spur white, rarely violet, elongated, 5–7 mm, tip straight or hooked, blunt;

style head beardless (surface papillose); cleistogamous flowers axillary.

Capsules

ellipsoid, 7–11 mm, glabrous.

ovoid or oblong, 8–12 mm, glabrous.

Seeds

light brown, 2.1–2.8 mm.

pale to light brown, 1.8–2.1 mm.

2n

= 40, 80.

= 40.

Viola howellii

Viola riviniana

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jul. Flowering Mar–Sep.
Habitat Moist, shady areas, coniferous forests, prairies, along streams Roadsides and trails, sidewalk cracks, parks
Elevation 50–1500 m (200–4900 ft) 0–200 m (0–700 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC; Eurasia; nw Africa [Introduced in North America; introduced in Australia]
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 riviniana has become established in several states on the Pacific Coast. It is cultivated and sold through nurseries in the United States. In the nursery trade in California and elsewhere, it is incorrectly referred to incorrectly as V. labradorica ‘Purpurea.’ In some plants shoots arise from adventitious buds on the roots (A. R. Clapham et al. 1987; T. Marcussen and T. Karlsson 2010).

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

Source FNA vol. 6, p. 134. FNA vol. 6, p. 154.
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. 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. 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
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 22: 308. (1887) Reichenbach: Iconogr. Bot. Pl. Crit. 1: 81, plate 95. (1823)
Web links