VIOLA

Viola L., Sp. Pl. 933. 1753; Gen. Pl. 5: 402. 1754; Ging. in DC., Prodr. 1: 291. 1824; Hook. f. & Thoms. in Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 1: 182. 1875; Val., Merr. & Schm. in Tutin et al., Fl. Europ. 2: 270. 1968; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 13: 74; Qaiser & Omer, Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 1.

Annual to perennial small herbs, caulescent or acaulescent, rhizome present or absent. In caulescent species, the leaves alternate and simple; caulescent have 0-11(-22) basal leaves per caudex and acaulescent plants with 1-12(-18) leaves per rhizome, prostrate to erect; leaf blades ovate-triangular or reniform, base cordate, margin entire, serrate or crenate; petiolate, petiole winged. Stipules small or large, free or +/- adnate to petiole, leaf-like, lanceolate-ovate, entire, dentate or fimbriate. Inflorescence axillary, solitary in caulescent species, scapose from rhizomes or stolons; in acaulescent species, 1(-3-5)-flowered peduncles, not jointed. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, hypogynous, pedicelate, bracteolate, bracteoles 2, opposite or subopposite. Sepals 5, persistent, nearly equal, prolonged downwards in a short flat obtuse blade, usually basally auriculate. Petals 5, free, spreading, unequal, the lowest one (anterior) usually the largest, its base forming a hollow spur, the other 4 flat, nearly equal. Stamens 5; filaments free, broad, very short and distinct; anthers 2-celled, erect, free or mostly connivent into a sheath around ovary and style, 2 anterior ones with spur-like or wart-like and nectariferous appendages at base, these extending into anterior petal spur, connectives produced apically into conspicuous membranous appendages. Carpels 3, syncarpous, ovary sessile, unilocular with 3 parietal placentas, ovules many; style mostly curved at base, thickened or attenuate above; stigma dilated. Fruit a 3-valved ovoid capsule, dehiscing horizontally loculicidally, valves carinate and abaxially thickened. Seeds round-ovate, smooth.

663 species

Viola tricolor

Viola tricolor L., Sp. Pl. 2: 935. 1753; Ging. in DC., Prodr. 1: 303-304. 1824; Val., Merr. & Schm. in Tutin et al., Fl. Europ. 2: 280. 1968; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 13: 111; Qaiser & Omer, Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 26; V. tricolor var. hortensis DC., Prodr. 1: 303. 1824.

Annual, biennial or perennial herbs, 10-40 cm tall. Stem erect or slightly oblique, simple or many branched, branches angular, winged, puberulent. Leaves alternate, simple, petiolate; petioles 1.5-4 cm long, winged; leaf blade 2-6 cm x 1-5 cm, ovate, ovate-elliptic, oblong-orbicular or oblong-lanceolate; base rounded, truncate or subcordate, margin remotely crenate, apex obtuse or rounded. Stipules large, foliaceous, pinnatipartite, 1.8-4.8 cm x 0.8-2 cm. Flowers solitary axillary, usually 3-coloured, large, ca. 3-6 cm long and broad, bisexual, zygomorphic. Pedicels large, 4.2-12.5 cm long, canaliculate, 2-bracteolate in upper part, bracteoles opposite or subopposite, small, ca. 3 mm long, ovate-triangular, lobed at base. Sepals 5, free, green, oblong-lanceolate, nearly equal, 1.2-2 mm x 4-5 mm, each sepal from its attachment prolonged downwards in a short, flat obtuse blade, 3-6 mm, margin scarious, ciliate, apex acute. Corolla flat, petals 5, free, spreading, 1.4-3.5 cm x 1.8-4.8 cm, upper/ posterior 2 petals deep purple (one coloured in different types) , orbiculate or obovate; 2 laterals clawed and 1 anterior one 3-coloured, purple-striate or purple blotches (blotches on 2 laterals and one anterior petal give the appearance of human face), lateral ones and anterior at base barbate or glandular hairy; anterior petal at base produced into a long nectariferous spur, ca. 5-8 mm long, densely hairy inside; apices of all petals usually round, anterior emarginate. Stamens 5; filaments free, broad and very short; anthers ca. 2.5 mm long, bithecous, connate into a sheath around ovary and style; connectives of pair of anterior stamens green, spurred, spur ca. 4 mm long, the anther spurs enter the spur of anterior petal; connectives of all anthers produced apically into conspicuous membranous appendages. Ovary ca. 3 mm x 3 mm, sessile, glabrous, unilocular with 3 parietal placentas bearing many ovules; style short, 1- 1.5 mm, base conspicuously geniculate; stigma 1-1.5 mm x 1-1.5 mm, dilated, globose with a large stigma hole. Fruit a 3-valved capsule, ellipsoid or globose, 8-12 mm long, glabrous, dehiscing loculicidally horizontally, valves carinate and abaxially thickened. Seeds many, ca. 2 mm x 1.5 mm, round-ovate, smooth, brown, shiny.

Flowering and Fruiting: February to May
Common Names: Pansy, Heart’s Ease, Heart’s Delight, Tickle-my-fancy, Jack- jump-up and kiss-me, Come and Cuddle me, Three faces in a hood, Love in idleness.