Viola odorata |
Viola lanceolata |
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English violet, garden violet, sweet blue violet, sweet violet, violette odorante |
bog white violet, Howell's violet, lance-leaf or bog white violet, lance-leaf violet, strap-leaf violet, violette lancéolée, white bog violet |
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Habit | Plants perennial, acaulescent, stoloniferous, 4–12 cm; stolons green, often rooting at nodes and forming leafy rosettes; rooted rosettes often develop into erect, rhizomatous caudex from which new stolons are produced; rhizome thick, fleshy. | Plants perennial, acaulescent, stoloniferous, 5–30 cm; stolons pale, often rooting and leafy at nodes; rhizome slender, fleshy. |
Leaves | basal (and from stolons), 5–10, ascending to erect; stipules lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, margins fimbriate, projections gland-tipped, apex acute; petiole 2–17 cm, puberulent; blade unlobed, ovate to orbiculate, 1.5–7 × 1.5–5 cm, base cordate, margins crenate, ciliate, apex obtuse to rounded, surfaces puberulent. |
basal, 2–6(–9), ascending to erect; stipules linear-lanceolate, margins entire or irregularly lacerate (at least distally), apex acute; petiole 2–12 cm, glabrous or pubescent; blade unlobed, lanceolate or narrowly elliptic to nearly linear, 2.5–12 × 0.7–2.5 cm, longer than wide, base attenuate, margins serrate, mostly eciliate, apex acute, mucronulate, surfaces glabrous. |
Peduncles | 4–15 cm, puberulent. |
2–17 cm, usually pubescent. |
Flowers | sepals narrow to broadly lanceolate, margins ciliate, auricles 3–4 mm; petals deep to pale blue-violet, pale blue, or white on both surfaces, usually white basally, lateral 2 sparsely to densely bearded, lowest usually purple-veined, 12–22 mm, spur usually same color as petals, elongated, 5–7 mm; style head beardless; cleistogamous flowers on prostrate or ascending peduncles. |
sepals ovate to lanceolate, margins mostly eciliate, auricles 1–2 mm; petals white on both surfaces, lowest and sometimes lateral 2 purple-veined, lateral 2 sparsely bearded or beardless, lowest 7–12 mm, spur white, gibbous, 1–2 mm; style head beardless; cleistogamous flowers on prostrate to ascending peduncles. |
Capsules | sometimes purple-flecked, ovoid, 5–8 mm, puberulent. |
ellipsoid, 5–8 mm, glabrous. |
Seeds | brown, 3–4 mm. |
beige to bronze, 1.5–2.5 mm. |
2n | = 20. |
= 24. |
Viola odorata |
Viola lanceolata |
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Phenology | Flowering Jan–May. | Flowering Mar–May. |
Habitat | Lawns, roadsides, clearings, riparian habitats, parks, urban areas | Open to semi-open wet areas, bogs, meadows, pond and lake shores, stream banks, seasonally inundated depressions |
Elevation | 0–1700 m (0–5600 ft) | 0–2000 m (0–6600 ft) |
Distribution |
CA; CT; ID; IL; MA; ME; MI; NC; NY; OH; OR; PA; RI; UT; WA; WI; BC; NS; ON; QC; Eurasia [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Australia]
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AL; AR; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IA; IL; IN; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; NC; NE; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; TN; TX; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; BC; NB; NF; NS; ON; PE; QC; SPM
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Discussion | Viola odorata occurs in small colonies; individual plants are interconnected by stolons. The flowers of Viola odorata are noted for their fragrance; some plants are more fragrant than others. It is native to Eurasia and assumed to be introduced in North America where it is usually found in areas associated with human habitation, including parks, lawns, and roadsides. A substantial industry revolved around the commercial production of violets in England, France, and the United States from prior to 1895 and into the 1900s (R. E. Coombs 2003). Viola odorata is sometimes found in remote locations not easily explained by anthropogenic influence, for example, Clearwater Mountains, Idaho. It is available through the nursery trade and is cultivated as a garden plant and occasionally reported as an escape. Viola odorata is grown in southern France for essential oils used in perfumes, flavorings, and toiletries, and also for the production of the sweet, violet-colored liqueur called parfait amour (V. H. Heywood 1978). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Viola lanceolata occurs in small colonies; individual plants are interconnected by stolons. Viola lanceolata subsp. vittata was recognized by N. H. Russell (1955) based on its linear leaf blade shape. The range in leaf blade shape appears to have no distinct line of demarcation. Some believe that leaf shape differences and near restriction to the coastal plain support recognition at some level. Studies are necessary to resolve this issue. J. H. Shultze (1946) reported that Viola lanceolata was introduced into Washington in the early 1900s primarily from Cape Cod and Wisconsin as a result of importation of cranberry vines. In British Columbia, it is known from Lulu Island, where it was introduced from eastern North America (G. W. Douglas et al. 1998–2002, vol. 5). Viola lanceolata reportedly hybridizes with V. primulifolia var. primulifolia (= V. ×modesta House) and V. macloskeyi (= V. ×sublanceolata House). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 6, p. 140. | FNA vol. 6, p. 135. |
Parent taxa | Violaceae > Viola | Violaceae > Viola |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | V. lanceolata subsp. vittata, V. lanceolata var. vittata, V. vittata | |
Name authority | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 934. (1753) | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 934. (1753) |
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