Viola howellii

A. Gray

Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 22: 308. 1887.

Common names: Howell’s violet violette de Howell
Endemic
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 6. Treatment on page 134. Mentioned on page 116, 117.

Plants perennial, caulescent, not stoloniferous, 2–44 cm. Stems 1–4, ascending to erect (sometimes later reclining to nearly prostrate), glabrous or sparsely pubescent, on caudex from subligneous rhizome. Leaves basal and cauline; basal: 1–6; stipules linearlanceolate to oblong, margins mostly entire or laciniate with gland-tipped projections, apex acute to acuminate; petiole 4–15 cm, glabrous or sparsely puberulent; blade ovate to reniform, 1.9–6.8 × 2.1–6.4 cm, thin, base cordate, margins crenate, ciliate, apex acute to usually obtuse, surfaces glabrous or sparsely puberulent; cauline similar to basal except: stipules linearlanceolate or deltate to oblong, apex acute or long-acuminate; petiole 1–4.5 cm; blade 2–5.1 × 1.2–5.8 cm. Peduncles 2.8–17.8 cm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent. Flowers: sepals lanceolate, margins ciliate or eciliate, auricles 1–2 mm; petals violet to soft blue-violet on both surfaces, whitish basally, lower 3 dark violet-veined, lateral 2 densely bearded, lowest 14–23 mm, spur blue-violet to whitish, gibbous to elongated, 2.4–5 mm, usually less than 1/2 lowest petal, tip straight; style head bearded; cleistogamous flowers axillary. Capsules ellipsoid, 7–11 mm, glabrous. Seeds light-brown, 2.1–2.8 mm. 2n = 40, 80.


Phenology: Flowering Apr–Jul.
Habitat: Moist, shady areas, coniferous forests, prairies, along streams
Elevation: 50–1500 m

Distribution

V6 226-distribution-map.jpg

B.C., Calif., Oreg., Wash.

Discussion

Viola howellii is similar to V. adunca and usually occupies moister habitats along the western side of the Cascade Mountains (H. E. Ballard 1992). The first documented record of this species in California was recently reported from Siskiyou County (R. J. Little 2010).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"thick" is not a number. "narrow" is not a number.

... more about "Viola howellii"
long-acuminate;acute;acute;usually obtuse +
not +  and prominent +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
R. John Little +  and Landon E. McKinney† +
A. Gray +
cordate +
overlapping +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (5.1 cm51 mm <br />0.051 m <br />) +
ovate +  and reniform +
1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br /> (5.8 cm58 mm <br />0.058 m <br />) +
muriculate +
ellipsoid +
0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br /> (1.1 cm11 mm <br />0.011 m <br />) +
deltate +  and oblong +
Howell’s violet +  and violette de Howell +
B.C. +, Calif. +, Oreg. +  and Wash. +
ovoid +  and spheroid +
50–1500 m +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br />) +
2 +  and produced in summer , apetalous or petals +
cleistogamous +
3-valved +  and capsular +
loculicidal +
Moist, shady areas, coniferous forests, prairies, along streams +
stoloniferous +, rhizomatous +, taprooted +  and simple +
scattered +  and concentrated +
variously--shaped +
1(-3)[-5]-flowered +
petiolate +  and simple +
cauline +  and basal +
unlobed +
not narrowed +
eciliate +  and ciliate +
crenate +, laciniate +  and entire +
syngenesious +
crassinucellate +  and bitegmic +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
2.8 cm28 mm <br />0.028 m <br /> (17.8 cm178 mm <br />0.178 m <br />) +
dark violet-veined +, whitish +, violet +  and soft blue-violet +
lowest +, lateral +  and lower +
2 +  and 3 +
1.4 cm14 mm <br />0.014 m <br /> (2.3 cm23 mm <br />0.023 m <br />) +
puberulent +  and glabrous +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (4.5 cm45 mm <br />0.045 m <br />) +
Flowering Apr–Jul. +
[2-]3[-5]-carpellate +
Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts +
deep-seated +
subligneous +
light-brown +
ovoid;spherical +
0.21 cm2.1 mm <br />0.0021 m <br /> (0.28 cm2.8 mm <br />0.0028 m <br />) +
lanceolate +
subequal +
longitudinal +
acaulescent +  and caulescent +
blue-violet +  and whitish +
elongated +
gibbous +
0.24 cm2.4 mm <br />0.0024 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
adherent +, not adherent +  and distinct +
leafy +  and simple +
shallow +
deciduous +
prostrate +  and decumbent +
ascending;erect +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
subligneous +  and fleshy +
hollow +  and solid +
beardless +  and bearded +
enlarged +
puberulent +  and glabrous +
Chrysion +, Crocion +  and Lophion +
Viola howellii +
species +
straight +
not stoloniferous +  and caulescent +
prostrate +  and erect +
hairy +  and glabrous +