Viola odorata |
Viola lithion |
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English violet, garden violet, sweet blue violet, sweet violet, violette odorante |
rock 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, caulescent, not stoloniferous, 5–15 cm. |
Stems | 1–3, ascending to erect, glabrous, on caudex from fleshy rhizome. |
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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 and cauline; basal: 1–4; stipules unknown; petiole 1–10 cm, glabrous, sometimes finely puberulent; blade broadly ovate or deltate to broadly deltate, 1–2.5(–2.9) × 0.6–2.2(–2.6) cm, base usually cordate to truncate, rarely rounded, margins crenate-dentate, eciliate, apex acute, surfaces glabrous; cauline similar to basal except: stipules lanceolate, margins usually fimbriate-toothed, sometimes entire, apex attenuate or acute; petiole 1.1–3.7 cm, sometimes finely puberulent; blade ovate to deltate, 0.7–2.2 × 0.4–1.2 cm, base sometimes rounded on distal blades. |
Peduncles | 4–15 cm, puberulent. |
3–6(–10) cm, glabrous. |
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 lanceolate, margins eciliate, auricles 0.5–1 mm; petals blue to pale violet on both surfaces with yellow area basally, lower 3 purple-veined, lowest with yellow area, lateral 2 bearded, lowest 5.5–11 mm, spur white to pale violet, gibbous, 0.5–1.3 mm; style head bearded; cleistogamous flowers unknown. |
Capsules | sometimes purple-flecked, ovoid, 5–8 mm, puberulent. |
subglobose, ca. 5 mm, glabrous. |
Seeds | brown, 3–4 mm. |
dark brown, ca. 1.8 mm. |
2n | = 20. |
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Viola odorata |
Viola lithion |
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Phenology | Flowering Jan–May. | Flowering Jun–Aug. |
Habitat | Lawns, roadsides, clearings, riparian habitats, parks, urban areas | Seasonally wet cracks and crevices, narrow ledges of rock outcrops, shaded northeast-facing avalanche chutes, cirque headwalls, subalpine conifer zone |
Elevation | 0–1700 m (0–5600 ft) | 2300–3100 m (7500–10200 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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NV; UT |
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.) |
Of conservation concern. Viola lithion is known only from the White Pine Range in Nevada and the Pilot Range straddling the Nevada-Utah border. It is related to V. canadensis and V. flettii. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 6, p. 140. | FNA vol. 6, p. 136. |
Parent taxa | Violaceae > Viola | Violaceae > Viola |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 934. (1753) | N. H. Holmgren & P. K. Holmgren: Brittonia 44: 300, fig. 1A – D. (1992) |
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