Viola sagittata

Plants perennial, acaulescent, not stoloniferous, 5–50 cm; rhizome thick, fleshy. Leaves basal, 4–8, ascending to erect; stipules linear-lanceolate, margins entire, apex acute; petiole 2–13 cm, glabrous or pubescent; middle and lateral blade lobes differ in width and/or shape, earliest blades ovate to elliptic, mid-season blades ovate, elliptic, narrowly elliptic to narrowly deltate, 1–8 × 1–5 cm, incised or lobed at base only, base sagittate or hastate, truncate, attenuate, or ± cordate, margins crenate or serrate, ciliate or eciliate, apex acute, surfaces glabrous or pubescent. Peduncles 3–15 cm, glabrous or pubescent. Flowers: sepals lanceolate to ovate, margins ciliate or eciliate, auricles 2–3 mm; petals light to dark violet on both surfaces, lower 3 white basally, lowest dark violet-veined, lateral 2 densely bearded, spur on lowest petal occasionally bearded, lowest 10–15 mm, spur light to dark violet, gibbous, 2–3 mm; style head beardless; cleistogamous flowers on prostrate, ascending, or erect peduncles. Capsules ellipsoid, 10–14 mm, glabrous. Seeds beige, mottled to bronze, 1.3–2.5 mm.

Distribution

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N.B., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Ala., Ark., Conn., D.C., Del., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Maine, Mass., Md., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., N.C., N.H., N.J., N.Y., Ohio, Okla., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va., Vt., W.Va., Wis.

Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Viola sagittata var. ovata, Viola sagittata var. sagittata

Key

1	Mid-season leaf blades: base sagittate, hastate, or ± cordate, surfaces glabrous or sparsely pubescent; sepal margins eciliate.	Viola sagittata var. sagittata
1	Mid-season leaf blades: base truncate, attenuate, slightly sagittate or hastate, or ± cordate, surfaces usually densely pubescent; sepal margins ciliate.	Viola sagittata var. ovata