kingdom Plantae - plants »  divisio Magnoliophyta - flowering plants »  class Rosopsida - eudicots » order Malpighiales »  family Violaceae »  tribus Violeae > genus Viola > Viola sect. Erpetion  (Sweet) Benth. & Hook f.  

Viola filicaulis Hook. f.

| Bio Lib |NZ Flora|NZ Plant Conservation Network|

Common name: forest violet

Distributional Range: Native Australasia NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand [North, South and Stewart Islands ]

Description: Perennial; stems creeping, glabrous, often reddish, 10–30 cm long. Basal and stem lvs all similar, glabrous, (0.5)–1–2–(3) × (0.5)–1–2–(3) cm, broadly ovate-cordate to reniform or suborbicular, obtuse to subacute, with 3–7 distant crenations or blunt teeth each side; stipules ovate, fimbriate to glandular-fimbriate, reddish, 3–4–(6) mm long; fimbriae 1 mm long; petiole glabrous, 1–2–(4) cm long. Peduncles erect, glabrous; bracts linear, acuminate, fimbriate, 4–6 mm long. Fls 1–1.5 cm diam. Sepals narrowly triangular to linear, acute, 5–7 mm long; appendages 0.5 mm long. Petals white with purple veins,>sepals, the lateral bearded; spur short, slightly>sepal appendages. Style geniculate at base, 1.5–2 mm long; stigma subcapitate. Capsule ellipsoid, glabrous, c. 1 cm long. Seeds obovoid, pale brown, 1–1.5 mm long.  

Habitat: 

 References:

1. Allan, H.H. 1961: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. I. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledones. Government Printer, Wellington.

2. de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series No. 22. [Not Threatened]

3. de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [Not Threatened]

4. Hooker, J.D. 1853: The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage of H.M. Discovery Ships Erebus and Terror in the Years 1839–1843, under the command of Captain Sir James Clark Ross. II. Flora Novae-Zelandiae. Part I. Flowering plants. Lovell Reeve, London.

5. Webb, C.J.; Sykes, W.R.; Garnock-Jones, P.J. 1988: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. IV. Naturalised Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons. Botany Division DSIR, Christchurch.