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Violawalteri House. Section:Viola. Subsection:Rostratae. Walter's Violet, Prostrate Blue Violet. Phen: Chasmogamous flower (late Jan-) Mar-May; chasmogamous fruit May-Jun; cleistogamous fruit Jul-Aug. Hab: Nutrient-rich woodlands and forests, dolomite bluffs and ledges especially on mafic or calcareous rocks to the north, on coquina limestone (marl) in the SC Coastal Plain, and in sandy or rocky and often more acidic soils in dry or dry-mesic forests southward. Dist: Sc. PA, ne. WV, and w. VA west to sc. OH and AR, south to n. peninsular FL and e. TX.
ID notes:This species and V. appalachiensis are our only mat-forming members of subsect. Rostratae. It is distinct from V. appalachiensis in its densely puberulent foliage and peduncle, typically ‘‘variegated’’ or bicolorous leaves with gray-green or silvery-green lamina and darker green veins, deeply lacerate to laciniate stipules, and other features as noted in the key. Its mat-forming nature and puberulent foliage resemble V. odorata, but the usually variegated upper surface of the leaf blades, longer spur, short bent style, and small brown seeds separate it. If the mat-forming stems and elongate spur went unnoticed or flowers were not present, this species could potentially be confused with V. hirsutula on the basis of the relatively short broad variegated leaves, but its densely puberulent foliage would distinguish it.
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, F, Fl2, G, K1, K4, RAB, S, S13, Tn, Tx, W, Ballard (1992a), Ballard, Kartesz, & Nishino (2023); = n/a – Pa; = Violawalteri House var. walteri – FNA6, K3, Va, McKinney & Russell (2002)
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Horticultural Information
Intro:Weakly ascending to prostrate perennial of nutrient-rich woodlands and forests, especially over mafic or calcareous rocks.
Stems:Stems 3-4 from a single crown, branched, finely hairy; elongating and becoming prostrate through the season, forming new rosettes and creating a mat.
Leaves:Leaves basal and alternate; on petioles with toothed, narrow stipules at the base; oval to rounded with a notched base and rounded tip; 1-2 in. long; finely toothed; silvery green with dark green or purplish veins above; usually solid purple beneath.
Inforescence:
Flowers:Flowers on stalks from leaf axils (earliest flowers from the basal leaf rosette, giving the appearance of a stemless violet); blue to violet with darker veins and white throat, to 1 in. wide, bilaterally symmetric with 5 unequal petals, the 2 lateral and the lowermost bearded toward the base and the lowermost with a backward-pointing spur.
Fruits:Fruit an oval to ellipsoid capsule.
Comments:Closed, self-pollinating flowers are present in this Viola species.
Height:to 4 in. (longer when prostrate)
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description:Weakly ascending to prostrate perennial of nutrient-rich woodlands and forests, especially over mafic or calcareous rocks.
stems:Stems 3-4 from a single crown, branched, finely hairy; elongating and becoming prostrate through the season, forming new rosettes and creating a mat.
leaves:Leaves basal and alternate; on petioles with toothed, narrow stipules at the base; oval to rounded with a notched base and rounded tip; 1-2 in. long; finely toothed; silvery green with dark green or purplish veins above; usually solid purple beneath.
inflorescence:
flowers:Flowers on stalks from leaf axils (earliest flowers from the basal leaf rosette, giving the appearance of a stemless violet); blue to violet with darker veins and white throat, to 1 in. wide, bilaterally symmetric with 5 unequal petals, the 2 lateral and the lowermost bearded toward the base and the lowermost with a backward-pointing spur.
fruits:Fruit an oval to ellipsoid capsule.
comments:Closed, self-pollinating flowers are present in this Viola species.
