Viola purpurea

Plants perennial, caulescent, not stoloniferous, 1.5–25 cm. Stems 1–5(–7), decumbent or spreading to erect, leafy proximally and distally, ± glabrous, puberulent, canescent, or tomentose, on caudex from subligneous rhizome. Leaves basal and cauline; basal: 1–6; stipules adnate to petiole, forming 2 linear, membranous wings, wing margins entire or laciniate, each wing with lanceolate to ± deltate projection, margins entire or laciniate, apex acute to long-acuminate; petiole 1.8–14.5 cm, puberulent to tomentose; blade purplish, purple-tinted, or gray-green abaxially, gray, green, or gray-green adaxially, sometimes shiny adaxially, ovate, orbiculate, oblong, deltate, or lanceolate, 0.8–5.3 × 0.4–4.1 cm, often fleshy, base cordate, subcordate, truncate, or attenuate, oblique or not, margins usually ± crenate, serrate, dentate, or coarsely or irregularly repand-dentate, sometimes entire, usually ciliate, apex acute to obtuse or rounded, surfaces glabrous, puberulent, or tomentose; cauline similar to basal except: stipules linear, lanceolate, oblanceolate, or ± oblong to ovate, margins entire, lacerate, or laciniate, usually ciliate, apex sometimes divided into 2–3 filiform processes or obtuse; petiole 0.3–19.7 cm, glabrous or puberulent; blade ovate, oblong, elliptic, deltate, or lanceolate, 0.9–5.2 × 0.2–2.9 cm, length 0.8–7.1 times width, margins crenate, serrate, dentate, repand-denticulate, undulate-denticulate, sinuate, undulate, or entire, abaxial surface puberulent, canescent, or tomentose, adaxial surface glabrous, sparsely pubescent, puberulent, canescent, or tomentose. Capsules ovoid to ± spherical, 4–7 mm, puberulent. Seeds light to dark brown or mottled gray and brown, 2–3.1 mm. 2n = 12.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

w North America, nw Mexico.

Discussion

Varieties 7 (7 in the flora).

Varieties of Viola purpurea are variable and intergrade. All are found in California; six occur in other western states, one in Mexico, and one in British Columbia. Mature plants are needed for determination.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Viola purpurea var. aurea, Viola purpurea var. dimorpha, Viola purpurea var. integrifolia, Viola purpurea var. mesophyta, Viola purpurea var. mohavensis, Viola purpurea var. purpurea, Viola purpurea var. venosa

Key

1	Basal and cauline leaf blade surfaces tomentose	Viola purpurea var. aurea
1	Basal and cauline leaf blade surfaces ± glabrous, canescent, or puberulent	> 2
2	Stems mostly buried, not much elongated by end of season; plants 1.5–9(–12) cm	> 3
2	Stems usually not buried, usually elongated by end of season; plants 3–25 cm	> 4
3	Cauline leaf margins usually entire, sometimes sinuate; basal leaf margins ± crenate to irregularly repand-dentate or entire.	Viola purpurea var. integrifolia
3	Cauline leaf margins usually coarsely crenate or dentate, sometimes ± serrate or ± entire; basal leaf margins coarse-serrate or irregularly dentate or crenate with 2–4 rounded teeth per side	Viola purpurea var. venosa
4	Basal leaf base cordate or truncate	Viola purpurea var. dimorpha
4	Basal leaf base usually attenuate, sometimes subcordate or truncate	> 5
5	Cauline leaf blade length 3.2–7.1 times width, margins usually undulate-denticulate, sometimes entire	Viola purpurea var. mesophyta
5	Cauline leaf blade length 1–3 times width, margins with 3–4(–5) pointed or rounded teeth per side or crenate-serrate	> 6
6	Basal leaf blade margins irregularly crenate, without pointed or rounded teeth; adaxial surface often shiny.	Viola purpurea var. purpurea
6	Basal leaf blade margins dentate-serrate with 4–5(–6) pointed or rounded teeth per side; adaxial surface not shiny.	Viola purpurea var. mohavensis