Viola inconspicua

Content

Description

Perennial; Leaves 1¾-9 by 1-7½ cm, 1-2.2 times as long as broad, broadest at base, triangular-ovate, cordate at base with usually prominent, rounded basal lobes, acute, crenate to subdentate, sometimes dentate on basal lobes, decurrent to ⅓ length of petiole, glabrous or sparsely pubescent in sinus; Stipules 3-10 by 1-2 mm, ovate-lanceolate, acute, sparsely short-fimbriate, glabrous, fuscous, adnate to petiole to ¾ of length. Flowers 9-11 mm, pale purple with darker veins; Sepals 2½-7 by 1-1.8 mm, ovate-lanceolate, acute, glabrous or sometimes ciliate, green with scarious margin; Petals 2-3 times as long as broad, obovate, the laterals bearded; Capsule 9-16 mm, oblong, glabrous.

Distribution

Asia-Temperate, Asia-Tropical: Jawa (Jawa present); Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present); Philippines (Philippines present); Sumatera (Sumatera present), Burma present, Himalayas present, Luzon present, Penang present

Himalayas, Burma, China, in Malesia: Sumatra, Malay Peninsula (Penang), Java, Philippines (Luzon). .

Notes

Closely related to V. betonicifolia but differing by its shortly decurrent lamina and by the conspicuous leaf-like calycine appendages which are more than half as long as the sepals. Intermediates between the two species occur in several places throughout the range of V. inconspicua. These are considered to be hybrids rather than clinal variants, because no geographical pattern can be discerned, because the weedy habitats preferred by both species are conducive to interspecific crossing, and both species occur sym-patrically in some Philippine and Sumatran localities. Only occasional collections, from Sumatra and the Philippines, have chasmogamous flowers and this, together with the apparently weedy nature of V. inconspicua, supports the suggestion of BECKER (1917) and of BACKER & BAKHUIZEN f. (1963) that the species is a relatively recent immigrant from continental Asia.

Citation

Miq. 1858 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 112

Koord. 1912 – In: Exk. Fl. Java: 627

BACK. & SLOOT. 1924: Handb. Theeonkr: 179: t. 179

Miq. 1858 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 112

Merr. 1923 – In: En. Philip.: 105

Merr. 1910 – In: Philip. J. Sc.: Bot. 200

Ridl. 1935 – In: J. Bot.: 14

KORTH. 1848 – In: Ned. Kruidk. Arch.: 357

BECKER 1917 – In: Bot. Jahrb.: 167

BACK. & BAKH.f. 1963 – In: Fl. Java: 195