Viola rostrata |
Viola odorata |
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long-spur violet, violette rostrée |
English violet, garden violet, sweet blue violet, sweet violet, violette odorante |
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Habit | Plants perennial, caulescent, not stoloniferous, 5–20 cm. | 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. |
Stems | 1–7, ascending to erect (often declining during anthesis), glabrous, on caudex from fleshy rhizome. |
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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 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. |
Peduncles | 5–9 cm, usually glabrous. |
4–15 cm, puberulent. |
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 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. |
Capsules | ellipsoid, 4–6 mm, glabrous. |
sometimes purple-flecked, ovoid, 5–8 mm, puberulent. |
Seeds | beige to bronze, 1.3–2 mm. |
brown, 3–4 mm. |
2n | = 20. |
= 20. |
Viola rostrata |
Viola odorata |
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Phenology | Flowering Apr–May. | Flowering Jan–May. |
Habitat | Rich, mesic to dry, well-drained woodlands, mountains | Lawns, roadsides, clearings, riparian habitats, parks, urban areas |
Elevation | 200–1800 m (700–5900 ft) | 0–1700 m (0–5600 ft) |
Distribution |
AL; CT; GA; IN; KY; MA; MD; MI; NC; NJ; NY; OH; PA; SC; TN; VA; VT; WI; WV; ON; QC; e Asia (Japan)
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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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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.) |
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.) |
Source | FNA vol. 6, p. 154. | FNA vol. 6, p. 140. |
Parent taxa | Violaceae > Viola | Violaceae > Viola |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Lophion rostratum | |
Name authority | Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 1: 174. (1813) | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 934. (1753) |
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