Viola sagittata Aiton. Section: Nosphinium. Subsection: Borealiamericanae. Common name: Arrowhead Violet. Phenology: Chasmogamous flower May-Jul; chasmogamous fruit May-Jun (Aug); cleistogamous fruit Jul-Aug. Habitat: Dry to moist forests and woodlands. Distribution: MA west to MN, south to GA and e. TX.
ID notes: This species could be mistaken for a few heterophyllous violets in the Sagittata species group, namely V. emarginata, V. fimbriatula, and V. septemloba. It differs from V. emarginata in foliage indument ranging from glabrous to uniformly moderately spreading-hirtellous, petioles lacking wings, typically uniformly green leaves lacking a purple tinge on the lower leaf blade surface, and blades in summer fruit becoming sagittate to lance-triangular with 2 (-3) slender teeth or lobes at base on each side. It can be distinguished from V. fimbriatula by its glabrous to uniformly moderately spreading-hirtellous foliage and typically glabrous peduncle, erect leaves, unwinged petioles, eciliate sepals, and erect cleistogamous peduncle; and from its light to medium green nonsucculent foliage, short basal lateral teeth or lobes, smaller flowers, and smaller brown seeds. It differs from V. septemloba in its often spreading-hirtellous and nonsucculent foliage, short basal lateral teeth or lobes, smaller flowers, and smaller brown seeds.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Synonymy ⓘ: = GrPl, S, S13, Tat, Tx, W, WV, Ballard, Kartesz, & Nishino (2023), Gil-Ad (1997); = Viola sagittata Aiton var. sagittata – FNA6, K1, K3, K4, NE, Pa, Tn, Va, Ballard () (in prep), Haines (2001), McKinney & Russell (2002); ? Viola emarginata (Nutt.) Leconte – S; > Viola emarginata (Nutt.) Leconte var. acutiloba Brainerd – F, G, RAB; > Viola emarginata (Nutt.) Leconte var. emarginata – F, G, RAB; < Viola sagittata Aiton – Ar, C, Il, NcTx
Links to other floras: = Viola sagittata var. sagittata - FNA6
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Great Plains: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Midwest: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Northcentral & Northeast: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
Heliophily ⓘ: 7
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Low-growing, rhizomatous perennial of dry to moist forests and woodlands.
Stems: Stemless, with leaves and flowering scape arising from a rhizome.
Leaves: Leaves basal, on purple-tinged petioles, lance-shaped or arrowhead-shaped with 2 lobes (which may be notched) at the base, 1 1/2-4 in. long, wavy-margined or toothed, mostly smooth.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers solitary on naked scapes that are down-curved at the tip, violet-purple with a white center, about 3/4 in. wide, bilaterally symmetric, with 5 spreading petals, the lowest one with darker purple veins over the white patch and extended behind the flower in a spur.
Fruits: Fruit an oval capsule.
Comments: Closed, self-pollinating flowers are present in this Viola species. Viola sagittata var. ovata is distinguished by its moderately to densely hairy leaves and other more technical characteristics; it also tends to be found on thin, dry, infertile soils of open woodlands, road banks, clearings and pastures.
Height: 3-6 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Low-growing, rhizomatous perennial of dry to moist forests and woodlands.
stems: Stemless, with leaves and flowering scape arising from a rhizome.
leaves: Leaves basal, on purple-tinged petioles, lance-shaped or arrowhead-shaped with 2 lobes (which may be notched) at the base, 1 1/2-4 in. long, wavy-margined or toothed, mostly smooth.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers solitary on naked scapes that are down-curved at the tip, violet-purple with a white center, about 3/4 in. wide, bilaterally symmetric, with 5 spreading petals, the lowest one with darker purple veins over the white patch and extended behind the flower in a spur.
fruits: Fruit an oval capsule.
comments: Closed, self-pollinating flowers are present in this Viola species. Viola sagittata var. ovata is distinguished by its moderately to densely hairy leaves and other more technical characteristics; it also tends to be found on thin, dry, infertile soils of open woodlands, road banks, clearings and pastures.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: