Viola appalachiensis L.K. Henry. Section: Viola. Subsection: Rostratae. Appalachian Violet. Phen: Chasmogamous flower Apr-June; chasmogamous fruit Jun; cleistogamous fruit Sep. Hab: Moist loam on stream terraces in mesic forests, rich cove forests, and on mafic or ultramafic rocks especially in seepage, serpentine barrens. Dist: PA, MD, and WV south to sw. NC.

ID notes: This species and V. walteri are our only mat-forming members of subsect. Rostratae. This species could be mistaken for V. labradorica in flower or fruit if the mat-forming habit with node-rooting stolons were ignored. It differs from V. striata by its mat-forming habit and pale blue corolla. It is distinct from V. walteri in foliage lacking pubescence except for scattered subappressed hairs on the upper surface of leaf blades, uniformly green leaves, weakly lacerate stipules, and other features as noted in the key. The herbaceous lacerate stipules with nonglandular processes would distinguish it in fruit from stoloniferous members of subsect. Stolonosae.

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Taxonomy Comments: See Grund & Isaac (2007) and Ballard & Wujek (1994) for discussion of the taxonomy of this species.

Synonymy ⓘ: = K1, K4, Pa, WV, Ballard () (in prep), Ballard (1992a), Ballard, Kartesz, & Nishino (2023); = n/a – RAB; = Viola walteri House var. appalachiensis (L.K.Henry) L.E.McKinney ex S.P.Grund & B.L.Isaac – FNA6, K2, McKinney & Russell (2002)

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Heliophily ⓘ: 5