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Alaska violet, Aleutian violet, Langsdorff's violet, violette de Langsdorff

pioneer violet, smooth yellow violet, stream or smooth yellow or yellow wood or wood or smooth yellow woodland violet, stream violet, violette glabre, yellow wood violet

Habit Plants perennial, caulescent, not stoloniferous, 2–30 cm. Plants perennial, caulescent, not stoloniferous, 3–38 cm.
Stems

1–3, ascending to erect, usually glabrous, from shallow, fleshy rhizome.

1–3, erect or prostrate, leafless proximally, leafy distally, glabrous or finely puberulent, on caudex from fleshy rhizome.

Leaves

basal and cauline;

basal: 2–3;

stipules broadly ovate to deltate or long-lanceolate, margins often glandular (glands sessile or stalked), apex acute;

petiole 0.8–21 cm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent;

blade ovate to reniform, 0.9–5.8 × 1–6 cm, base cordate to ± truncate, margins crenate to crenate-serrulate, usually eciliate, apex rounded or acute to usually obtuse, surfaces glabrous or sparsely pubescent on adaxial veins, seldom on abaxial veins;

cauline similar to basal except: stipules broadly ovate to lanceolate-oblong or deltate, apex acute to acuminate;

petiole 2.2–12.1 cm;

blade 1.9–4.2 × 1.8–5.9 cm.

basal and cauline;

basal: 0–4(–7);

stipules ovate to obovate, margins entire, crenate, or serrate, usually glandular, apex acute to obtuse;

petiole 7–27.5 cm, glabrous or puberulent;

blade usually reniform to ovate, sometimes orbiculate, 3.3–8.5 × 2–9.3 cm, base cordate, margins crenate to serrate, ciliate or eciliate, apex acute to obtuse, mucronulate, surfaces glabrous or finely puberulent;

cauline similar to basal except: usually restricted to distal ends of naked stems;

stipules ovate to oblong, margins erose or subserrate, often glandular, apex acute to acuminate;

petiole 0.2–2.9 cm, glabrous or finely puberulent;

blade ovate to deltate, 1.4–5.7 × 0.8–4.7 cm, base cordate to truncate, margins crenate to ± serrate, ciliate (sometimes limited to proximal half), apex acute.

Peduncles

2.2–20.7 cm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent.

2–8 cm, glabrous or pubescent.

Flowers

sepals lanceolate to ovate, margins eciliate, auricles 0.5–1.5 mm;

petals light to deep violet on both surfaces, lower 3 white basally and light to deep violet-veined, lateral 2 bearded, lowest 12–24 mm, spur white to violet, gibbous to elongated, 2–5 mm, usually less than 1/2 lowest petal, tip straight;

style head usually beardless, sometimes bearded; cleistogamous flowers axillary.

sepals linear-lanceolate, margins eciliate, auricles 0.5–1 mm;

petals deep lemon-yellow on both surfaces, lower 3 and sometimes upper 2 brownish purple-veined, lateral 2 bearded, lowest 6–18 mm, spur yellow to greenish, gibbous, 0.5–2 mm;

style head bearded; cleistogamous flowers axillary.

Capsules

ovoid to oblong, 7.5–13 mm, glabrous.

ovoid to ellipsoid, 7–13 mm, glabrous.

Seeds

dark olive to ± black, 2.5–2.8 mm.

light to dark brown, shiny, 2–2.2 mm.

2n

= 12.

= 24.

Viola langsdorffii

Viola glabella

Phenology Flowering Apr–Aug. Flowering Mar–Aug.
Habitat Swamps, bogs, fens, wet meadows, stream banks, rocky slopes, usually near coast Damp, wet, or shady places in forests, stream banks
Elevation 0–1500 m (0–4900 ft) 0–2600 m (0–8500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; CA; OR; WA; BC; YT; Asia
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; CA; ID; MT; OR; WA; AB; BC; Asia
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Viola simulata and V. superba are closely related to V. langsdorffii (L. Abrams and R. S. Ferris 1923–1960, vol. 3). They were treated by C. L. Hitchcock et al. (1955–1969, vol. 3) as synonymous with V. langsdorffii pending further study.

E. Brainerd (1921) stated that Viola langsdorffii presents an interesting transition between the caulescent and acaulescent violets. Plants of the species are reported from Winchester Grade in Idaho (Gail s.n., 1931, ID); verification is needed. Viola langsdorffii is reported to have fleshy rhizomes. Plants in Del Norte County, California, have fleshy rhizomes near the soil surface, but these are connected to deeper, subligneous rhizomes.

The style in some populations of Viola langsdorffii is reported to be sometimes bearded (G. W. Douglas et al. 1998–2002, vol. 5; W. J. Cody 2000). Illustrations in V. B. Baird (1942; location of plant unknown) and M. S. Baker (1936; a plant from Alaska) show a beardless style; L. Abrams and R. S. Ferris (1923–1960, vol. 3) and C. L. Hitchcock et al. (1955–1969, vol. 3) reported that the style head was beardless. Styles are beardless in plants occurring in Del Norte County, California.

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

Viola glabella is similar in overall appearance to V. pubescens. The cauline leaves are sometimes described as appearing only near the apex of the stem (P. A. Munz 1959), but often a leaf occurs from a node on the stem below the apex.

Viola californica was described from collections made in Humboldt and Trinity counties, California, and may have arisen as a hybrid between V. glabella and V. lobata var. integrifolia. It is apparently limited to Abies concolor forests above 1520 m (M. S. Baker 1953). Study of V. californica is needed to determine if taxonomic recognition is warranted.

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

Source FNA vol. 6, p. 136. FNA vol. 6, p. 131.
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. howellii, V. japonica, V. labradorica, V. lanceolata, 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. 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. simulata, V. superba V. californica, V. canadensis var. sitchensis, V. glabella var. remotifolia
Name authority Fischer ex Gingins: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 1: 296. (1824) Nuttall: in J. Torrey and A. Gray, Fl. N. Amer. 1: 142. (1838)
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