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long-spur violet, violette rostrée

Frank Smith violet, Frank-Smith's violet

Habit Plants perennial, caulescent, not stoloniferous, 5–20 cm. Plants perennial, caulescent, not stoloniferous, 1.5–12.5 cm.
Stems

1–7, ascending to erect (often declining during anthesis), glabrous, on caudex from fleshy rhizome.

1–4, decumbent or ascending to erect, glabrous, on caudex from fleshy rhizome.

Leaves

basal and cauline;

basal: 1–5;

stipules lanceolate, margins laciniate, apex acute;

petiole 1–9.6 cm, glabrous;

blade sometimes purple-spotted abaxially and/or adaxially, reniform to ovate, 1–4.5 × 1–4 cm, base broadly cordate to cordate, margins crenate to serrate, mostly eciliate, apex obtuse to acute, surfaces usually pubescent, mostly adaxially toward base, sometimes glabrous;

cauline similar to basal except: petiole 0.4–4 cm;

distal cauline blades ovate to deltate, 1–4.5 × 1–4 cm, base cordate, apex acuminate to acute.

basal and cauline;

basal: 2–3;

stipules lanceolate, margins fimbriate, apex acute;

petiole 1.5–6(–14) cm, glabrous;

blade broadly ovate to deltate, 1.3–2.9(–4.1) × 1.3–2.9 cm, base cordate to truncate, margins crenate, eciliate, apex obtuse to rounded, surfaces glabrous;

cauline similar to basal except: petiole 1.3–6.5 cm;

blade 1.1–2.2 × 0.7–1.6 cm.

Peduncles

5–9 cm, usually glabrous.

2.5–7(–11.2) cm, glabrous.

Flowers

sepals lanceolate, margins eciliate, auricles 1–2 mm;

petals pale lavender-violet on both surfaces, all white basally, lower 3 purple-black-veined, all beardless, lowest 8–20 mm, spur white, purple, or lavender-tinged, elongated, 10–20 mm;

style head beardless; cleistogamous flowers axillary.

sepals lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, margins eciliate, auricles 0.5–1.5 mm; all petals usually pale purple, sometimes almost white adaxially, lateral 2 and lowest purple-veined, lateral and upper 2 violet abaxially, white basally, lateral 2 bearded, lowest 10–16(–18) mm, spur greenish to pale lime green, gibbous, 1.6–3 mm;

style head bearded; cleistogamous flowers unknown.

Capsules

ellipsoid, 4–6 mm, glabrous.

ovoid, 3–7 mm, glabrous.

Seeds

beige to bronze, 1.3–2 mm.

pale yellow, 2.4–2.8 mm.

2n

= 20.

Viola rostrata

Viola frank-smithii

Phenology Flowering Apr–May. Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Rich, mesic to dry, well-drained woodlands, mountains Cracks, crevices, and narrow ledges of vertical limestone and dolomite rock faces, humid, shady places
Elevation 200–1800 m (700–5900 ft) 1600–2100 m (5200–6900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; CT; GA; IN; KY; MA; MD; MI; NC; NJ; NY; OH; PA; SC; TN; VA; VT; WI; WV; ON; QC; e Asia (Japan)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
UT
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Viola rostrata has the longest spur of any North American Viola species.

Viola rostrata reportedly hybridizes with V. labradorica (= V. ×malteana House) and V. striata (= V. ×brauniae Grover ex Cooperrider).

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

Of conservation concern.

Viola frank-smithii is endemic to Logan Canyon, Cache County, Utah. N. H. Holmgren (2005d) wrote that it likely has its ancestral ties with V. adunca.

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

Source FNA vol. 6, p. 154. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 Lophion rostratum
Name authority Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 1: 174. (1813) N. H. Holmgren: Brittonia 44: 303, fig. 1E – H. (1992)
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