kingdom Plantae - plants »  divisio Magnoliophyta - flowering plants »  class Rosopsida - eudicots » order Malpighiales »  family Violaceae »  tribus Violeae > genus Viola > Viola sect. Melanium  Ging. 

Viola cheiranthifolia Kunth

| Bio Lib | GRIN | 

Synon.: Mnemion cheiranthifolium (Humb. et Bonpl.) Webb et Berthel., Viola teydea Berthel.

Description: Perennial herb, 5–15 cm tall. Leaves alternate, petiolate, lanceolate to spathulate, dentate to entire, greyish-silvery. Flowers hermaphrodite, solitary, corolla zygomorphic, sepals 5, persistent, petals 5, free, blue, with white and yellow markings, lateral petals directed upwards, lower petal spurred, spur short. Fruit a 3-valved capsule. 

Distributional Range: Native Africa MACARONESIA: Spain [Canarias: Tenerife ] 

Habitat: It grows on dry and stony slopes of the volcano Teide in the central region of Tenerife, in pumice and lava, in elevations from 2100 to 2800 m asl. It blooms from April to May. 

References:

1. Bramwell, D. & Z. Bramwell. 1974. Wild flowers of the Canary islands.

2. Izquierdo Z., I. et al., eds. 2004. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres