Viola tenuipes Pollard

Southern Wedge-Leaf Violet

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Southern Wedge-Leaf Violet is a native herbaceous perennial in the Violet family (Violaceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. Southern Wedge-Leaf Violet occurs in rich mesic hardwood forests. It is a non-stoloniferous perennial with a short thin rhizome. Stems are erect and 6-8 inches in height. The stem is glabrous or pubescent. The stem is angled and green or reddish brown in color. Leaves are 3-7 confined to the upper half of the stem. The leaves are petiolate, ovate to deltoid in outline, with entire or serrate margins. The leaves are glabrous or slightly pubescent on both surfaces. The leaves are subtended by ovate to triangular, entire stipules. Flowers are solitary from the leaf axils. The flowers are on slender peduncles shorter than the leaves. Each flower has 5 lanceolate sepals and 5 yellow petals. The petals are purplish-brown on the outer surface and the lower 3 petals often have purple veins. The 2 lateral petals are bearded. The fruit is an ovoid to elliptical capsule. Southern Wedge-Leaf Violet is often treated a variety of Three Part Violet (Viola tripartita Elliott). Three part violet has leaves that are deeply 3-lobed.--A. Diamond

Unfortunately, there has been long confusion regarding Viola tripartita Elliott, V. glaberrima (Ging.) House, and V. tenuipes Pollard. From additional study (Ballard et al) discovered that all three are distinct entities and should not be treated as synonyms or varieties of V. tripartita as done in the past. Of these three entities, V. tripartita and V. tenuipes occur in Alabama while V. glaberrima is now excluded from our flora as it is thought to occur in the southern Appalachians but not reaching our flora area. Viola tripartita s.s. is restricted to the NE part of Alabama producing mature stem leaves that are almost always deeply divided. Viola tenuipes is more widespread in the state and has often been treated as V. glaberrima or V. tripartita var. glaberrima. It is of mesic woodlands and the leaves are never divided.--B.R. Keener.

Native

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