Viola pedatifida
Viola palustris
crow-foot violet, prairie or crowfoot or larkspur violet, prairie violet, violette pédatifide
alpine marsh violet, marsh violet, northern marsh or marsh or swamp or alpine marsh violet, northern marsh violet, violette des marais
basal, 2–11, ascending to erect, 5–9-lobed;
stipules linear-lanceolate, margins entire, apex acute;
petiole 3–16 cm, pubescent;
blade similar in width and shape, lobes lanceolate, spatulate, falcate, or linear, 1–7 × 2–8 cm, base truncate to reniform, margins entire, ciliate, apex acute to obtuse, mucronulate, surfaces pubescent, hairs sometimes concentrated on veins.
basal, 2–4, ascending to erect;
stipules linear-lanceolate, margins entire, apex acute;
petiole 1–17 cm, glabrous;
blade unlobed, reniform or ovate to orbiculate, 0.5–6.4 × 0.5–5.5 cm, ± as long as wide, base cordate, margins crenulate, eciliate, apex obtuse to acuminate, surfaces glabrous.
5–18 cm, glabrous or pubescent.
2–20.7 cm, glabrous, bracteoles usually below middle in chasmogamous flowers.
sepals lanceolate to ovate, margins ciliate or eciliate, auricles 1–2 mm;
petals light to soft reddish violet on both surfaces, lower 3 white basally, dark violet-veined, lateral 2 and lowest usually bearded, lowest 10–25 mm, spur same color as petals, gibbous, 2–3 mm;
style head beardless; cleistogamous flowers on ascending to erect peduncles.
sepals ovate or lanceolate, margins eciliate, auricles 1–2 mm;
petals lilac, pale blue, or pale violet on both surfaces, sometimes nearly white and tinged with lilac, lowest and sometimes lateral 2 dark violet-veined, lateral 2 bearded or beardless, lowest 8–16 mm, spur usually same color as petals, gibbous, 1–3 mm;
style head beardless; cleistogamous flowers on ascending peduncles.
ellipsoid, 10–15 mm, glabrous.
ellipsoid, 6–10 mm, glabrous.
beige, mottled to bronze, 1.5–2.5 mm.
dark brown, 1–2 mm.
= 54.
= 48.
Viola pedatifida
Viola palustris
Viola pedatifida was reported historically from, and recently rediscovered in, the Appalachian shale barrens of Virginia (T. Wieboldt, pers. comm.).
Viola pedatifida reportedly hybridizes with V. sororia (= V. ×bernardii Greene).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Viola palustris occurs in small colonies; individual plants are interconnected by stolons. When flowering, usually three or more leaves are present per caudex.
M. Sorsa (1968) noted that in western North America Viola palustris specimens differ from European V. palustris plants and often show variation in character combinations. She stated (pers. comm.) that North American V. palustris is not a uniform entity.
E. Hultén (1968) synonymized Viola palustris with V. epipsila, as did W. J. Cody (2000). G. W. Douglas et al. (1998–2002, vol. 5) recognized both species. We assume that V. palustris does not occur in Alaska; verification is needed. See additional discussion under 18a. V. epipsila var. repens.
M. Sorsa (1968) indicated that Viola palustris var. brevipes has often been confused with V. blanda and that var. brevipes may have arisen from hybridization between a tetraploid and a diploid plant. Listed here in synonymy, var. brevipes may warrant recognition.
Reports of Viola palustris from one location in Coconino County, Arizona, first collected in 1962, likely refer to V. macloskeyi.
Viola palustris hybridizes with V. epipsila var. repens (M. Sorsa 1968; T. Marcussen and T. Karlsson 2010).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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