Viola sororia

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Distribution Map: Based on vouchered plant specimens only. View county names by placing the mouse cursor over a particular county.

Species Distribution Map
Family:VIOLACEAE
Species:Viola sororia Willd.
Common Name:Common Blue Violet; Hooded Blue Violet; Confederate Violet
Habitat:**
Associated Ecological Communities:**
Growth Habit:Herb
Duration:Perennial
Category:Vascular
USDA Symbol:VISO
Plant Notes:Common Blue Violet is a native herbaceous perennial in the Violet family (Violaceae). It can be found throughout the state. Common Blue Violet occurs in a wide variety of habitats from mesic deciduous forests, along streams and rivers, in floodplain forests, in low pine woods, in lawns, and on roadsides. It is a perennial with a creeping fleshy rhizome. Leaves are basal. The leaves are petiolate, glabrous, ovate to triangular in outline, with serrate margins. The leaf base is cordate. Flowers are solitary and scapose. Flowers have 5 petals. Flowers range in color from blue through purple to white. The upper two petals are reflexed and entirely of one color. The lower three petals are basally white with purple lines. The two lateral petals are bearded. The fruit is a capsule. Common Blue Violet is a highly variable species. It has been treated as a variety of the Palmate Leaf Violet (Viola palmata Linnaeus var. sororia (Willdenow) Pollard), with which it shares many characteristics. One commonly cultivated variety is the Confederate Violet (Viola sororia forma priceana), which has grayish-white petals with purple veins. Other species lumped with Common Blue Violet but considered distinct by some include Viola floridana Brainerd; Viola papilionaceae Pursh; and Viola priceana Pollard. In addition, Related Violet (Viola affinis LeConte) is sometimes treated as a variety of Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia Willdenow var. affinis (Leconte) L.E. McKinney). Common Blue Violet is often available from wildflower nurseries. It is easily cultivated under a wide range of conditions. It often becomes “weedy” and spreads to areas where it is not wanted.--A. Diamond
Taxonomic Notes:**
Status:Native, FACW (NWI)
References:**
Specimen: View specimen details in the Alabama Herbarium Consortium Specimen Database

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

FamilyVIOLACEAE - Violet family
Genus Viola
Species Viola sororia Willd. - Common Blue Violet; Hooded Blue Violet; Confederate Violet

Citation

Citation Viola sororia Willdenow, Hort. Berol. [Willdenow] 1(6): pl. 72. 1806.
Basionym: **
Type: Without data (holotype: B-W).

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

SynonymFull CitationBasionymType
Viola affinis var. langloisii Viola affinis LeConte, var. langloisii (Greene) Griscom, Rhodora 38: 49. 1936.Viola langloisii Greene 1896. 
Viola alachuana Viola alachuana Murrill, Quart. J. Florida Acad. Sci. 12: 61. 1950. FLORIDA: Alachua Co.: Gainesville, 30 Apr 1940, Murrill s.n. (lectotype: NY; isotype: FLAS). Lectotypified by L. E. McKinney, Sida Misc. 7: 36. 1992
Viola asarifolia Viola asarifolia Pursh, Fl. Amer. Sept. 732. 1814. "Virginia to Carolina",
Viola candidula Viola candidula Nieuwland, Amer. Midl. Naturalist 3: 85, pl. 2-3. 1913. MICHIGAN: Berrien Co.: Benton Harbor, May 1913, Nieuwland 11111 (holotype: ND).
Viola champlainensis Viola champlainensis House, New York State Mus. Bull. 254: 504. 1924, pro hybr. NEW YORK
Viola columbiana Viola columbiana House, New York State Mus. Bull. 254: 504. 1924, pro hybr. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA:
Viola communis Viola communis Pollard, Bot. Gaz. 26: 336. 1898.  
Viola consobrina Viola consobrina House, New York State Mus. Bull. 254: 503. 1924, pro hybr. PENNSYLVANIA
Viola consona Viola consona House, New York State Mus. Bull. 254: 504. 1924, pro hybr. NEW YORK
Viola cordifolia Viola cordifolia (Nuttall) Schweinitz, Amer. J. Sci. Arts 5: 62. 1822.Viola villosa Walter, var. cordifolia Nuttall 1818. 
Viola crenulata Viola crenulata Greene, Pittonia 4: 295. 1901. NEW YORK: Onandaga Co.: Near Syracuse,
Viola cucullata var. sororia Viola cucullata Aiton, var. sororia (Willdenow) Torrey & A. Gray, Fl. N. Amer. 1: 137. 1838.Viola sororia Willdenow 1809 
Viola cuspidata Viola cuspidata Greene, Pittonia 3: 314. 1898. WISCONSIN: Rock Co.:
Viola dicksonii Viola dicksonii Greene, Pittonia 4: 65. 1899. CANADA
Viola domestica Viola domestica E. P. Bicknell, in Britton & A. Brown, Ill. Fl. N. U.S. 3: 519. 1898. NEW YORK: Manhattan Island, near High Bridge, 11 Jun 1893, Maring s.n. (lectotype: NY). Lectotypified by L. E. McKinney, Sida Misc. 7: 36. 1992.
Viola dowelliana Viola dowelliana House, New York State Mus. Bull. 266: 25. 1925, pro hybr. NEW YORK:
Viola filecetorum Viola filecetorum Greene, Leafl. Bot. Observ. Crit. 1: 215. 1906.  
Viola fletcheri Viola fletcheri Greene, Pittonia 4: 296. 1901. CANADA: Ontario:
Viola floridana Viola floridana Brainerd, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 35: 524. 1910. FLORIDA: Duval Co.: Jacksonville, 13-22 Mar 1907, Brainerd s.n. (holotype: NY; isotypes: GH, PH).
Viola hirsutula Viola hirsutula Brainerd, Rhodora 9: 98. 1907.  
Viola illinoensis Viola illinoensis Greene, Pittonia 4: 293. 1901. ILLINOIS: Piatt Co.: Along the Sangamon River near Monticello,
Viola langloisii Viola langloisii Greene, Pittonia 3: 87. 1896. LOUISIANA
Viola latiuscula Viola latiuscula Greene, Pittonia 5: 93. 1902. VERMONT: Rutland Co.: West Rutland, Twin Mountain, 24 May 1902, Eggleston 2648 (holotype: NY; isotypes: CM, GH, NY, PH)
Viola lucidifolia Viola lucidifolia Newbro, Stud. Nat. Hist. Iowa Univ. 17: 56, pl. 4(3), pl. 8(24-25). 1936. IOWA
Viola macounii Viola macounii Greene, Pittonia 3: 335. 1898. CANADA: Ontario: Ottawa,
Viola missouriensis Viola missouriensis Greene, Pittonia 4: 141. 1900. MISSOURI: Jackson Co.: Courtney, 30 Apr 1899, Bush 70 (holotype: NY; isotype: NY).
Viola montivaga Viola montivaga House, New York State Mus. Bull. 254: 503. 1924, pro hybr. VERMONT
Viola nesiotica Viola nesiotica Greene, Pittonia 5: 102. 1902. CANADA: Prince Edward Island:
Viola nodosa Viola nodosa Greene, Pittonia 4: 296. 1901. NEW YORK: Onandaga Co.: Syracuse, 12 May 1901, House s.n. (holotype: ?)
Viola novae-angliae Viola novae-angliae House, Rhodora 6: 226, pl. 59. 1904. MAINE: Aroostook Co.: Valley of the St. Johns River, sandy shore of Fort Kent, 15 Jun 1898, Fernald 2245 (holotype: US; isotype: NY).
Viola obliqua var. crenulata Viola obliqua Aiton, var. crenulata (Greene) Farwell, Amer. Midl. Naturalist 12: 68. 1930.Viola crenulata Greene 1901. 
Viola palmata subsp. sororia Viola palmata Linnaeus, subsp. sororia (Willdenow) W. Stone, Pl. S. New Jersey 567. 1912 ("1911").Viola sororia Willdenow 1809. 
Viola palmata var. asarifolia Viola palmata Linnaeus, var. asarifolia (Pursh) House, Torreya 2: 68. 1902.Viola asarifolia Pursh 1814. 
Viola papilionacea var. domestica Viola papilionacea Pursh, var. domestica (E. P. Bicknell) Pollard, in Britton, Man. Fl. N. States 636. 1901.Viola domestica E. P. Bicknell 1898. 
Viola pratincola Viola pratincola Greene, Pittonia 4: 64. 1899. MINNESOTA: Cottonwood Co.: Near Windom, 1 Jul 1898, Greene s.n. (holotype: NDG).
Viola septentrionalis Viola septentrionalis Greene, Pittonia 3: 334. 1898. CANADA: Ontario: Ottawa, Billings Bush, 30 May 1898, Macoun 18761 (holotype: NDG).
Viola septentrionalis var. grisea Viola septentrionalis Greene, var. grisea Fernald, Rhodora 37: 301, t. 375. 1935. MICHIGAN: Schoolcraft Co.: Near Driggs, 2 Jul 1934, Fernald & Pease 3430 (holotype: GH).
Viola sororia var. grisea Viola sororia Willdenow, var. grisea (Fernald) L. E. McKinney, in R. J. Little & L. E. McKinney, J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 4: 226. 2010.Viola septentrionalis Greene, var. grisea Fernald 1935. 
Viola sororia var. missouriensis Viola sororia Willdenow, var. missouriensis (Greene) L. E. McKinney, Sida Misc. 7: 42. 1992.Viola missouriensis Greene 1900. 
Viola sororia var. novae-angliae Viola sororia Willdenow, var. novae-angliae (House) L. E. McKinney, Sida Misc. 7: 44. 1992.Viola novae-angliae House 1904. 
Viola subjuncta Viola subjuncta Greene, Pittonia 5: 31. 1902. WASHINGTON
Viola subviscosa Viola subviscosa Greene, Pittonia 4: 293. 1901. CANADA
Viola thompsoniae Viola thompsoniae Chapman, Fl. South. U.S., ed. 3. 34. 1897. GEORGIA: Lee Co.: Smithville, s.d., Thompson s.n. (holotype: NY).
Viola vagula Viola vagula Greene, Pittonia 4: 67. 1899. CANADA: Ontario: Ottawa district,
Viola venustula Viola venustula Greene, Pittonia 3: 335. 1898. CANADA: Ontario: Ottawa
Viola villosa var. cordifolia Viola villosa Walter, var. cordifolia Nuttall, Gen. N. Amer. Pl. 1: 147. 1818. PENNSYLVANIA
Viola palmata var. sororia Viola palmata Linnaeus, var. sororia (Willdenow) Pollard, in Britton, Man. Fl. N. States 635. 1901.Viola sororia Willdenow 1809. 
Viola papilionacea Viola papilionacea Pursh, Fl. Amer. Sept. 173. 1814. PENNSYLVANIA: Philadelphia Co.: Near Philadelphia,
Viola priceana Viola priceana Pollard, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 16: 127. 1903. KENTUCKY
Viola rosacea Viola rosacea Brainerd, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 37: 525. 1910. MISSISSIPPI: Harrison Co.: Biloxi, 19 Mar 1910, Brainerd s.n. (lectotype: NY; isotype: PH). Lectotypified by L. E. McKinney, Sida Misc. 7: 36. 1992.

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort; choose a county or herbaria to filter the specimen data.

Counties included on distribution map: Autauga, Baldwin, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Butler, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Choctaw, Clarke, Clay, Cleburne, Coffee, Colbert, Conecuh, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dale, Dallas, DeKalb, Elmore, Escambia, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Hale, Henry, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee, Limestone, Lowndes, Macon, Madison, Marengo, Marshall, Mobile, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Pickens, Pike, Randolph, Shelby, St. Clair, Sumter, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Wilcox, Winston

Counties represented by specimen data listed below:

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AUA, JSU, SAMF, TROY, UNA, USAM, UWAL

Range of years during which specimens were collected: 1952 - 1998

Barcode / Accession No.
County
Coll. Date
Collector &
Collection No.
Herbarium &
Herbarium Name Used
Image
UWAL0046031 Autauga 02 Mar 2017 Parker, Matthew R.
375		 UWAL
Viola sororia Willdenow
TROY000044826 Autauga 02 Mar 2017 Parker, Matthew R.
375		 TROY
Viola sororia Willdenow
TROY000047657 Autauga 21 Mar 2017 Parker, Matthew R.
511		 TROY
Viola sororia Willdenow
UWAL0046173 Autauga 02 Mar 2018 Parker, Matthew R.
1534		 UWAL
Viola sororia Willdenow
TROY000048585 Autauga 02 Mar 2018 Parker, Matthew R.
1534		 TROY
Viola sororia Willdenow
TROY000048582 Autauga 03 Apr 2018 Parker, Matthew R.
1584		 TROY
Viola sororia Willdenow
UWAL0046175 Autauga 03 Apr 2018 Parker, Matthew R.
1584		 UWAL
Viola sororia Willdenow
USAM000015247 Baldwin 15 Nov 1980 LeLong, Michel G.
11901		 USAM
Viola papilionacea Pursh
UWAL0043887 Baldwin 10 Feb 2003 Larsen, Harry S.
1184		 UWAL
Viola sororia Willd.
UWAL0043886 Baldwin 20 May 2005 Larsen, Harry S.
1442		 UWAL
Viola sororia Willd.
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