VIOLACEAE

VIOLET FAMILY

R. John Little

Annual to shrub or vine (generally per in CA)
Leaves basal, cauline, or both, generally alternate, entire to compound; stipules generally small
Inflorescence: head, raceme, panicle, or flowers solitary; peduncle bractlets 2
Flower generally bisexual, generally bilateral; sepals 5, free to slightly fused, generally persistent; petals 5, free, lowest generally spurred or pouched at base; stamens generally 5, alternate petals, filaments short, wide, anthers surrounding ovary, adherent or fused, often with nectaries at base, often with membranous appendage at tip; ovary superior, chamber 1, placentas 3, parietal, ovules generally many, style 1
Fruit: generally capsule, 3-valved, generally explosively dehiscent
Seeds generally appendaged
Genera in family: 15 genera, 600 species: generally temp, worldwide; some cultivated as ornamental; some Eur species medicinally useful as emetics, diuretics, purgatives
Reference: [Brizicky 1961 J Arnold Arbor 42:321–333]

VIOLA

VIOLET

Annual or perennial herb < 35 cm, glabrous to hairy
Leaf entire to compound
Inflorescence: flower generally solitary, axillary
Flower bilateral; sepals subequal, appendaged at base; petals unequal, lowest spurred or pouched at base, lateral 2 equal, generally spreading, often hairy near base, upper 2 equal, erect; lower 2 stamens with nectaries projecting into spur
Fruit: capsule, ovoid to oblong
Etymology: (Latin: ancient name)
Reference: [Clausen 1964 Madroño 17:173–197]
Cleistogamous flowers generally present. Seeds often dispersed by ants that feed on seed-appendages.

Native

V. pedunculata Torr. & A. Gray

JOHNNY-JUMP-UP

Plant 5–39 cm
Stem generally decumbent to erect from deep, spongy rhizome with many fleshy roots, branched, thin, puberulent
Leaves cauline, simple; petiole 20–65 mm; blade 10–55 mm, deltate-ovate to cordate, crenate to serrate, glabrous to hairy, tip acute to obtuse
Inflorescence: peduncle < 200 mm
Flower: petals orange-yellow, lowest (including spur) 10–20 mm, lower 3 veined dark brown, lateral 2 bearded, upper 2 red-brown outside; style 2.9 mm
Fruit 5–11 mm, glabrous
Chromosomes: n=6
Ecology: Open, grassy slopes, hillsides, chaparral, oak woodlands
Elevation: 0–1000 m.
Bioregional distribution: Outer North Coast Ranges, Inner North Coast Ranges, San Francisco Bay Area, Central Western California, Southwestern California
Distribution outside California: n Baja California
Cleistogamous flowers 0. Plants from SCoRI (w San Benito Co.) with leaves smaller, thinner, narrower, petals yellow, style ± 2 mm have been called subsp. tenuifolia M.S. Baker & J.C. Clausen
Horticultural information: DRN, DRY in summer, SUN: 5, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24; DFCLT.