Viola tomentosa
Viola lanceolata
felt-leaf violet, woolly or felt-leaf or feltleaf violet, woolly violet
bog white violet, Howell's violet, lance-leaf or bog white violet, lance-leaf violet, strap-leaf violet, violette lancéolée, white bog violet
1–3(–5), prostrate or decumbent to erect, leafy proximally and distally, densely white-tomentose, from usually vertical, subligneous rhizome.
basal and cauline;
basal: 1–6;
stipules linear to broadly ovate-oblong, margins entire, sometimes with scattered glandular hairs, apex acute to obtuse;
petiole 2–6 cm, densely white-tomentose;
blade ± oblanceolate to elliptic, 1.5–5 × 1.4–2.1 cm, base attenuate, usually oblique, margins usually entire, rarely crenate distally, ciliate, apex acute to usually obtuse, mucronulate, surfaces densely white-tomentose abaxially, strigose adaxially;
cauline similar to basal except: stipules ovate, lanceolate, oblanceolate, or oblong, margins entire or toothed, densely ciliate with white hairs;
petiole 1.5–3.5 cm;
blade 1.8–4 × 0.6–1.1 cm.
basal, 2–6(–9), ascending to erect;
stipules linear-lanceolate, margins entire or irregularly lacerate (at least distally), apex acute;
petiole 2–12 cm, glabrous or pubescent;
blade unlobed, lanceolate or narrowly elliptic to nearly linear, 2.5–12 × 0.7–2.5 cm, longer than wide, base attenuate, margins serrate, mostly eciliate, apex acute, mucronulate, surfaces glabrous.
1–4 cm, densely white-tomentose.
2–17 cm, usually pubescent.
sepals lanceolate, margins ciliate-tomentose, auricles 0.5–1 mm;
petals deep lemon-yellow adaxially, upper 2 often brownish purple abaxially, lower 3 dark brown- to brownish purple-veined, lateral 2 bearded, lowest 6–11 mm, spur yellow, gibbous, 0.5–1.5 mm;
style head bearded; cleistogamous flowers absent.
sepals ovate to lanceolate, margins mostly eciliate, auricles 1–2 mm;
petals white on both surfaces, lowest and sometimes lateral 2 purple-veined, lateral 2 sparsely bearded or beardless, lowest 7–12 mm, spur white, gibbous, 1–2 mm;
style head beardless; cleistogamous flowers on prostrate to ascending peduncles.
± spherical, 4–5 mm, densely white-tomentose.
ellipsoid, 5–8 mm, glabrous.
brown with lighter brown mottling, 2.5–2.8 mm.
beige to bronze, 1.5–2.5 mm.
= 12.
= 24.
Viola tomentosa
Viola lanceolata
Viola tomentosa occurs in El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, and Sierra counties. M. S. Baker (1949) reported that nearly every leaf axil of V. tomentosa produces a flower bud and that these buds produce chasmogamous flowers late in season instead of cleistogamous flowers, as do other members of the V. nuttallii complex.
Viola tomentosa hybridizes with V. purpurea; the hybrids appeared sterile (M. S. Baker 1949). J. Clausen (1964) reported a putative hybrid between V. tomentosa and V. sheltonii from one location in Sierra County.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Viola lanceolata occurs in small colonies; individual plants are interconnected by stolons.
Viola lanceolata subsp. vittata was recognized by N. H. Russell (1955) based on its linear leaf blade shape. The range in leaf blade shape appears to have no distinct line of demarcation. Some believe that leaf shape differences and near restriction to the coastal plain support recognition at some level. Studies are necessary to resolve this issue.
J. H. Shultze (1946) reported that Viola lanceolata was introduced into Washington in the early 1900s primarily from Cape Cod and Wisconsin as a result of importation of cranberry vines. In British Columbia, it is known from Lulu Island, where it was introduced from eastern North America (G. W. Douglas et al. 1998–2002, vol. 5).
Viola lanceolata reportedly hybridizes with V. primulifolia var. primulifolia (= V. ×modesta House) and V. macloskeyi (= V. ×sublanceolata House).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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