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

Astoria violet, Canary violet, marsh violet, upland yellow violet, yellow montane violet

Habit Plants perennial, caulescent, not stoloniferous, 2–30 cm. Plants perennial, caulescent, not stoloniferous, 5.5–36.5 cm.
Stems

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

1–3(–5), prostrate, decumbent, or erect, leafy proximally and distally, glabrous or puberulent, on caudex from usually vertical, subligneous 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: 1–5;

stipules adnate to proximal 1/3 of petiole, forming 2 narrow, linear-lanceolate wings, margins entire, apex of each wing free, acute;

petiole 2.6–19.2 cm, glabrous or densely puberulent;

blade usually elliptic to ovate, sometimes oblong-lanceolate to ± orbiculate, 1.7–14(–17) × 0.8–5.3(–6.7) cm, base attenuate to ± truncate or subcordate, often oblique, margins usually crenate, serrulate, or serrate, sometimes entire, ciliate or eciliate, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces glabrous or densely puberulent;

cauline similar to basal except: stipules lanceolate to ovate, margins entire or toothed, with or without gland-tipped projections, apex acute to acuminate;

petiole 1.3–16.2 cm, glabrous or puberulent;

blade 2.3–11(–14.8) × 1.1–3.6(–5.5) cm, length 1.1–6.5 times width.

Peduncles

2.2–20.7 cm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent.

4.4–27 cm, glabrous or puberulent.

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 lanceolate, margins eciliate, auricles 1–2 mm;

petals deep lemon-yellow adaxially, upper 2, and sometimes lateral 2, brownish purple abaxially, lower 3 brownish purple-veined, lateral 2 sparsely bearded, lowest 11–19 mm, spur yellow or pale green, gibbous, 0.5–3 mm;

style head bearded; cleistogamous flowers axillary.

Capsules

ovoid to oblong, 7.5–13 mm, glabrous.

ellipsoid to oblong, 6–14 mm, glabrous or finely puberulent.

Seeds

dark olive to ± black, 2.5–2.8 mm.

medium to dark brown or red-brown, 2–3 mm, elaiosome completely covering funiculus.

2n

= 12.

= 36, 48.

Viola langsdorffii

Viola praemorsa

Phenology Flowering Apr–Aug.
Habitat Swamps, bogs, fens, wet meadows, stream banks, rocky slopes, usually near coast
Elevation 0–1500 m (0–4900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; CA; OR; WA; BC; YT; Asia
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC
[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.)

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Viola praemorsa is a complex group that appears to be evolving. Sympatric populations and the similarity of their flowers provide opportunities for hybridization and introgression (D. M. Fabijan et al. 1987). Some botanists have suggested that all taxa in the V. nuttallii complex, which includes V. bakeri, V. nuttallii, V. praemorsa, V. tomentosa, and V. vallicola, should be treated as varieties of V. nuttallii, as C. L. Hitchcock et al. (1955–1969, vol. 3) did, on the basis that these taxa are more or less sympatric in range, intergrade with one another, and possess no distinctive gross morphological features by which they can be consistently recognized. S. L. Welsh et al. (1987) treated V. praemorsa and V. linguaefolia Nuttall as synonymous with V. nuttallii, stating that V. nuttallii (and related taxa) are acaulescent to short-caulescent. Although some plants have short internodes, all plants in the V. nuttallii complex are caulescent. We acknowledge the complexity and taxonomic difficulties inherent in the V. nuttallii complex; patterns of morphology, cytology, and leaf flavonoid chemistry provide a basis for recognizing infrataxa. Fabijan et al. conducted the most extensive study of the complex to date; their treatment of V. praemorsa is followed here.

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

Key
1. Basal and cauline leaf blade bases ± truncate to subcordate; basal leaf blades 1.7–5.9(–7.3) cm, length 1.1–3 times width; plants 5.5–21.5 cm.
var. praemorsa
1. Basal and cauline leaf blade bases attenuate; basal leaf blades 2.7–17 cm, length 1.7–6.5 times width; plants 10.5–36.5 cm
→ 2
2. Basal leaf blades (3.4–)5.3–17 cm, usually ovate to elliptic, sometimes oblong-lanceolate, length 1.8–6.5 times width; peduncles 5.9–27 cm.
var. flavovirens
2. Basal leaf blades 2.7–8.5 cm, usually ovate to elliptic, sometimes oblong-lanceolate, length 1.7–3.4 times width; peduncles 5–15 cm.
var. linguifolia
Source FNA vol. 6, p. 136. FNA vol. 6, p. 145.
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. 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. 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. praemorsa var. flavovirens, V. praemorsa var. linguifolia, V. praemorsa var. praemorsa
Synonyms V. simulata, V. superba V. nuttallii subsp. praemorsa, V. nuttallii var. praemorsa
Name authority Fischer ex Gingins: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 1: 296. (1824) Douglas ex Lindley: Edwards’s Bot. Reg. 15: plate 1254. (1829)
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