Viola rostrata
Viola hirsutula
long-spur violet, violette rostrée
southern woodland violet
1–7, ascending to erect (often declining during anthesis), glabrous, on caudex from fleshy rhizome.
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, 2–4, prostrate or nearly so;
stipules linear-lanceolate, margins entire, apex acute;
petiole 1–10 cm, usually glabrous;
blade unlobed, reniform to ovate, 1–6 × 1–5 cm, base cordate, margins serrate, ciliate or eciliate, apex rounded, adaxial leaf surface with silvery strigose patches.
5–9 cm, usually glabrous.
2–12 cm, glabrous.
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 ovate, margins ciliate or eciliate, auricles 1–2 mm;
petals light to deep reddish violet to blue-violet on both surfaces, 3 lower whitish basally, dark violet-veined, lateral 2 densely bearded, lowest 11–17 mm, spur violet, gibbous, 2–3 mm;
style head beardless; cleistogamous flowers on prostrate to ascending peduncles.
ellipsoid, 4–6 mm, glabrous.
ellipsoid, 8–12 mm, glabrous.
beige to bronze, 1.3–2 mm.
beige, mottled to bronze, 1–1.5 mm.
= 20.
= 54.
Viola rostrata
Viola hirsutula
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.)
Viola hirsutula exhibits little phenotypic plasticity. Although considered by N. L. Gil-Ad (1997) to be a putative hybrid, he did not identify the potential parents and chose not to recognize it. A. Cronquist in H. A. Gleason and Cronquist (1991) considered V. hirsutula a form of V. villosa. Viola hirsutula is considered one of the more distinct species throughout its range by McKinney because of the pattern of silvery strigose patches on adaxial leaf surfaces and a more prostrate growth habit than similar species. He believes V. hirsutula is one of the least variable species in the flora. Viola hirsutula appears to occur much less frequently than herbarium collections suggest. Some herbarium specimens are misidentified and represent depauperate plants, usually of V. sororia. These specimens are often hairy on the adaxial leaf surfaces but lack the silvery patches.
Viola hirsutula reportedly hybridizes with V. sororia var. sororia (= V. ×cordifolia [Nuttall] Schweinitz) and V. sagittata var. sagittata (= V. ×redacta House).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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