9(8). Leaf blades (at least some) broader than long, rather uniformly toothed 

 to the acute apex 8. V. papilionacea. 



9. Leaf blades mostly as long as broad or longer, with somewhat attenuate apices 



that bear fewer more widely spaced teeth than rest of margin (10) 



10(9). Upper third of leaf blades with 10 to 14 teeth, narrowly triangular; 

 peduncles exceeding the petioles 9. V. Langloisii. 



10. Upper third of leaf blades with to 6 teeth, broadly triangular; peduncles 



not exceeding the petioles 10. V. missouriensis. 



1. Viola pubescens Ait. var. eriocarpa (Schwein.) Russell. Smooth yellow violet. 

 Tall sparingly branched perennial, 1-4.5 dm. high, typically with 4 to 8 basal 



leaves and 3 to 5 leafy aerial stems; leaves cordate, uncut, smooth to sparingly 

 hairy on all surfaces; stipules small and entire; flowers yellow; capsule glabrous to 

 soft-tomentose; seeds 2-2.5 mm. long. V. eriocarpa Schwein. 



Rich moist or wet forest and floodplain woods or wet meadows, often by 

 streams, n.e. Tex. and Okla. {Waterfall), Mar.-May; n.e. Tex. to N.C., n. to Que. 

 and Ont, 



2. Viola primulifolia L. 



Acaulescent perennial with cordlike rhizomes, producing runners throughout 

 growing season (these take root at the nodes and form new crowns); leaves ovate- 

 lanceolate to broadly ovate, variously pubescent, the blade tapering to a petiole as 

 long as or longer than blade; flowers white with light-blue veins (especially on 

 lower petal), small; capsules green, borne on erect peduncles; seeds 1.5-1.7 mm. 

 long. Incl. var. villosa Eat. 



Roadside ditches and open marshy fields, wet meadows, moderately abundant in 

 Okla. (Waterfall) and e. Tex., Mar.-May; Tex. to Fla., n. to N.S., n. Ind. and 

 Okla. 



3. Viola lanceolata L. subsp. lanceolata. Lance-leaved violet. 



Acaulescent perennial with cordlike rhizomes, producing runners through grow- 

 ing season (these root at the nodes and form new crowns) ; leaves lanceolate, gla- 

 brous, about 3.5 to 5 times as long as broad; flowers white with bluish veins; 

 capsules green, on erect peduncles; seeds light brown, 1.4-1.5 mm. long. 



Roadside ditches and wet open fields, rare in n.e. Tex., Mar.-Apr.; Tex. to Ga., 

 n. to Que. and Minn. 



Subsp. vittata (Greene) Russell. Fig. 537. 



Acaulescent perennial, similar to subsp. lanceolata in most respects, differing in 

 having vittate leaves often 3-5 dm. long and 5 to 14 times as long as broad. Drain- 

 age ditches, marshes, bogs, savannahs and other wet open habitats, moderately 

 frequent in s.e. Okla. (McCurtain Co.) and e. Tex., Mar.-Apr.; Tex. to Fla., n. 

 to s. Va. and s.e. Okla. 



4. Viola septemloba LeConte. 



Acaulescent perennial, reproducing vegetatively by fragmentation of the hori- 

 zontal rhizome; leaves spreading, with 3 to 6 narrow somewhat oblanceolate lateral 

 lobes, thin, sometimes purple-tinged in spring, overall leaf shape orbicular to ovate; 

 flowers blue-violet, on peduncles exceeding the leaves; lateral petals villous at base; 

 fruits green, on erect peduncles; seed with inconspicuous caruncle. 



Wet lowland forests, often by streams, swamps and sandy pinelands, rare in 

 extreme e. Tex., Mar.-Apr.; e. Tex. to s. Fla., n. to Va. and Tenn. 



5. Viola esculenta Ell. 



Acaulescent perennial, reproducing vegetatively by fragmentation of the fleshy 

 horizontal rhizome; leaves spreading, somewhat fleshy, with 4 to 6 broad palmately 



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