Viola cerasifolia A. St. - Hill.
vkingdom Plantae - plants » divisio Magnoliophyta - flowering plants » class Rosopsida - eudicots » order Malpighiales » family Violaceae » tribus Violeae > genus Viola > Viola sect. Leptidium (Ging.) W. Becker
Viola cerasifolia A. St. - Hill.
Syn.: Viola balsaminoides Gardner; Viola cerasifolia subsp. conferta W.Becker; Viola cerasifolia var. intermedia A.St.-Hil.; Viola cerasifolia subsp. selloiana W.Becker; Viola conferta A.St.-Hil.; Viola dusenii W.Becker & Sam.; Viola tenuis var. geralensis W.Becker;
Description: Ervas de 15 a 25 cm de altura, glabras. Caule herbáceo. Folhas membranáceas, pecioladas, pecíolo (5-7cm de compr.); limbo (2-6 x 1-3,5 cm) ovado a lanceolado, glabro, margem serreada, ápice agudo, base truncada ou aguda, decorrente no pecíolo; estípulas (5-13 mm de compr.), lanceoladas, margens fimbriadas. Flor axilar, pedicelo (2-5 cm de compr.) filiforme, articulado próximo ao cálice; bractéolas (4-7 mm de compr.) lanceoladas. Sépalas (4-9 x 1-2 mm) lanceoladas, acuminadas. Pétala anterior com limbo (6-13 x 4-6 mm) oboval, com base côncava, introrsa. Pétalas intermediárias (8-15 x 4-5,5 mm) subfalcadas. Pétalas posteriores (8-12 x 3-5 mm) oblongas a obovais. Estames anteriores (2-2,3 mm de compr.) base calcarada e apêndices membranáceos terminais falciformes. Estames intermediários (2 mm de compr.) sem calcar. Estame superior (2 mm de compr.) sem calcar. Anteras oblongas com apêndices membranáceos terminais triangulares (0,8 mm de compr.). Ovário (2 mm de compr.) glabro; estilete (3-3,5 mm de compr.) levemente curvado; estigma capitado. Cápsula (5-6 mm) globosa, glabra. Sementes (11-15 mm de compr.) ovóides, reticuladas
Distributional Range: Southern America BRAZIL: Brazil [Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina e Rio Grande do Sul. ]
Distribution and ecology :Occurs mainly in montane forests and grasslands in the south-eastern highland of Brazil. These formations are subtype of Brazilian Atlantic Forest, which is one of the most endangered ecosystem on the earth [floresta ombrófila densa, floresta ombrófila mista, estepe gramíneo-lenhosa e savana arbustiva]
There are only four species of Viola in Brazil; this belong to the predominantly austral section Lepidium. Species of this section occur mainly in the Andes, and constitue one of the two most primitive group of the genus. In spite of considerable divergence in morphological traits, the four Brazilian species are closely related and apparently reflect a single evolutionary relict lneage, which is probably the most primitive whitin the section
References:
- Freitas L. and Sazima M. Floral Biology and Pollination Mechanisms in two Viola Species - From Nectar to Pollen Flowers? Annals of Botany 91: 311-317, 2003
- MARDJA CÁSSIA MONTES LUZ The native species of Violaceae Batsch of Paraná state, Brazil Acta Biol. Par., Curitiba, 31 (1, 2, 3, 4): 1-41. 2002
