vkingdom Plantae - plants »  divisio Magnoliophyta - flowering plants »  class Rosopsida - eudicots » order Malpighiales »  family Violaceae »  tribus Violeae > genus Viola > section Viola sect. Andinium W. Becker 

section Viola sect. Andinium W. Becker 

Viola ×blaxlandiae J.M. Watson & A.R. Flores, nothosp. nov. 

= V. columnaris Skottsb. × V. cotyledon Ging. 

Distributional Range: Argentina, Neuquén Province: Volcán Copahue 

 | Rock Garden Quartely |KEESIAN Neuquen, Patagonia, Argentina|

The first known and identified natural hybrid (V. columnaris Skottsb. × V. cotyledon Ging. )  of the Andean rosulate violas (sect. Andinium),  an indicator of possible active and stabilized hybrid evolution in the section. The novelty, Viola ×blaxlandiae, is named in memoriam for our great friend and dedicated fellow viologist, the late Kim Blaxland. 

Natural hybrid of sect. Andinium, intermediate between parents. Growth habit of solitary, elevated, cylindrically columnar rosette, and flowers disposed in outwards facing ring on upper rim of rosette correspond with V. columnaris. Characters of V. cotyledon present are cuneate, more or less narrowly spathulate and somewhat acute leaf blades, large corollas conspicuously and strongly bearded at base of lateral and lowermost petals, and style crest concealed within throat of corolla 

References:

1. Watson, J.M. & Flores, A.R. (2012b) A new nothospecies in section Andinium W. Becker of Viola L. (Violaceae) endemic to southern Argentina. Rock Garden Quarterly 70(4): 367–377.