Species: Viola macloskeyi ssp. pallens (Banks ex Ging) M.S. Baker

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Viola macloskeyi ssp. pallens (Banks ex Ging) M.S. Baker

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Violaceae

Genus:

Viola

Species Synonyms:

Viola macloskeyi var. pallens (Banks ex Ging) C.L. Hitchc.
Viola pallens (Banks ex Ging) Brainerd
Viola pallens var. subreptans Rouss.

Common Names:

smooth white violet
sweet white violet
wild white violet

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

Ungava – Labrador, south to east-central Saskatchewan – Manitoba – Ontario – Newfoundland – Nova Scotia

Saskatchewan:

east-central Saskatchewan; northwest of Chelan – Porcupine Hills, Nipawin Provincial Park – Reindeer River

Ecoregion:

Boreal Transition, Mid-Boreal Upland, Mid-Boreal Lowland, Churchill River Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

marshy fens and bogs

Associated species:

Galium trifidum, Juncus brevicaudatus, Pinus banksiana

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Endangered

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S1

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Viola macloskeyi ssp. pallens is endangered because of rarity in Saskatchewan. This species is limited to eastern Saskatchewan and most local populations are small. No immediate threats are known but may occur in the future.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Rhizomes:

slender, horizontal

Stems:

stolons long, filiform; acaulescent

Leaves:

basal, petiole long, blade 1 – 3 cm wide, cordate-ovate to reniform, apex usually rounded, glabrous or puberulent below, margin entire to slightly crenate

Inflorescence:

flowers solitary; peduncles basal, 1.5 – 7 cm long; cleistogamous flowers on ascending peduncles

Flowers:

perfect, zygomorphic, at most about 1 cm long, very fragrant; calyx 5-merous, 3 – 5 mm long, lanceolate, auricle short; corolla 5-merous, 7 – 11 mm long, white, the lower petals with brownish-purple veins, lateral petals usually glabrous or slightly bearded at base, spur short; stamens 5; style somewhat truncate

Fruits:

capsule 3-valved, 3 – 5 mm long, greenish-yellow; seeds dark brown to black

VIOLA KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Plants acaulescent; leaves and peduncles arising from a caudex and/or plants with stolons	2
1 Plants caulescent; flowers axillary, stolons and caudex absent	11

2 Leaves deeply divided; plants of prairies and dry areas	V. pedatifida
2 Leaves toothed or lobed but not deeply divided or margin entire; plants of meadows to moist woods or boggy areas	3

3 Flowers white, may have purplish lines towards the base	4
3 Flowers blue to violet	7

4 Plants without stolons; leaves orbicular to reniform	V. renifolia
4 Plants stoloniferous; leaves ovate to reniform	5

5 Leaves pubescent, at least when young; petioles and peduncles reddish	V. blanda var. palustriformis
5 Leaves glabrous; petioles and peduncles greenish	6

6 Leaves 2 – 5 cm long, 2.5 – 3.5 cm wide	V. palustris var. brevipes
6 Leaves 1 – 2 cm long, 1 – 1.5 cm wide	V. macloskeyi ssp. pallens

7 Rhizomes thick and fleshy; stolons absent; caudex usually short and thick; lateral petals bearded or not; sepals ciliolate or eciliolate	8
7 Rhizome slender and cord-like; stolons present or absent; caudex present or absent; lateral petals always bearded (except V. selkirkii); sepals eciliolate	10

8 Spurred petal beardless	V. sororia
8 Spurred petal bearded	9

9 Sepals ciliolate	V. septentrionalis
9 Sepals eciliolate	V. nephrophylla

10 Stolons present; petal spur much shorter than the blade; lateral petals bearded; plants of moist meadows and streams	V. palustris var. palustris
10 Stolons present; petal spur to 2/3 as long as blade; lateral petals beardless; plants of woods and rocky slopes	V. selkirkii

11 Leaves lanceolate to narrowly ovate; flowers yellow, may have purple veins at the base	12
11 Leaves cordate-ovate to reniform; flowers yellow, white or blue	13

12 Leaves usually at least three times as long as wide, lanceolate to elliptic	V. nuttallii
12 Leaves less than three times as long as wide, narrowly ovate	V. vallicola var. vallicola

13 Flowers yellow, with purplish-brown veins; plants of rich deciduous woods	V. pubescens var. scabriuscula
13 Flowers white to lilac or blue; plants of woods or meadows	14

14 Flowers white inside, yellow at base and with purplish veins or purple tinge on outside; stipules entire	V. canadensis var. rugulosa
14 Flowers blue to lilac; stipules toothed	15

15 Leaves thin, glabrous; stipules ovate; flowers lilac	V. conspersa
15 Leaves thick, glabrous to densely pubescent; flowers deep blue	16

16 Leaves densely pubescent	V. adunca var. adunca
16 Leaves glabrous	V. labradorica