kingdom Plantae - plants »  divisio Magnoliophyta - flowering plants »  class Rosopsida - eudicots » order Malpighiales »  family Violaceae »  tribus Violeae > genus Viola > Viola sect. Plagiostigma Godr.  > Viola subsect. Adnatae W. Becker 

Viola japonica Langsd. ex Ging.

  | Bio Lib | eFlora of China | GRIN |Violet in Japan |  Japanese Wild Flowers (Violaceae) | More: A - B -C - D

Synon.: Viola crassicalcarata Ching J. Wang; V. concordifolia C. J. Wang var. hirtipedicellata Ching J. Wang; V. japonica var. stenopetala Franchet ex H. Boissieu. ; Viola metajaponica Nakai

Common names: 犁头草 li tou cao ; コスミレ ko-sumire [tiny viola] 

Description: Herbs perennial, acaulescent, rosette-forming. Rhizome short, 5-7 mm, robust, ca. 5 mm in diam., densely noded; roots numerous, whitish, elongated, robust. Leaves numerous, basal; stipules narrowly ovate, 2-3 cm × 3-4 mm, ca. 2/3 adnate to petioles, margin remotely ciliate, apex acuminate; petiole usually subequaling blade at anthesis, conspicuously exceeding blade at fruiting, very narrowly winged in uppermost part, usually glabrous; leaf blade ovate, broadly ovate, or triangular-ovate, 3-8 × 3-5.5 cm, both surfaces sparsely puberulous or rarely glabrescent, base deeply or broadly cordate, margin densely crenate, apex acute or slightly obtuse. Flowers light purplish or whitish violet; pedicels not exceeding leaves, puberulous or glabrous, 2-bracteolate near middle; bracteoles linear-lanceolate, ca. 8 mm. Sepals broadly lanceolate, 5-7 × ca. 2 mm, apex acuminate, basal auricles 2-3 mm, apex truncate or 2-denticulate. Upper petals oblong-obovate, 1.3-1.5 cm × 5-6 mm, lateral ones oblong-obovate, 1.1-1.3 cm × 5-6 mm, sparsely bearded or glabrous, anterior one narrowly obovate, 1.7-2 cm (spur included), apex emarginate; spur cylindric, 6-8 mm, 2.5-3.4 mm in diam.; spur of anterior 2 stamens long, 2-3 mm, slender. Ovary conic, glabrous; styles clavate, base slightly geniculate, thickened in upper part; stigmas flat at top, conspicuously margined on lateral sides and abaxially, shortly beaked in front, with a broad stigma hole at tip of beak. Capsule ellipsoid, ca. 1 cm. Fl. Mar and Oct, fr. May-Oct. 

Distributional Range:  Native Asia-Temperate EASTERN ASIA: Japan, [Hokkaidô (s.w.), Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku] Korea, South, Taiwan

Habitat: Sunny or half shaded places in lowlands; below 1100 m. 

References:

1. Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening Note: lists as Viola japonica Langsd.

2. Igari, M. 1996. Wild violets of Japan Note: book almost entirely in Japanese

3. Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.

4. Lee, Y. N. 1997. Flora of Korea. Note: lists as Viola japonica Langsd.

5. Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. Note: lists as Viola japonica Langsd.

6. Ohwi, J. 1965. Flora of Japan (Engl. ed.). Note: lists as Viola japonica Langsd.