| Viola decumbens | |
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Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Violaceae |
| Genus: | Viola |
| Species: | V. decumbens |
| Binomial name | |
| Viola decumbens | |
Viola decumbens is aperennial plant with a woody base that is assigned to theviolet family. It has linear leaves andstipules. Thebilaterally symmetrical purple flowers have fivepetals and a spur. It grows infynbos and is anendemic species of the southernWestern Cape province of South Africa, where it is calledwild violet, a name used for other species elsewhere in the world.
Viola decumbens is a small shrub with very fine granules on its green parts, and a woody base. The erect branching stems are up to 25 cm (9.8 in) high. It carriesalternately set, slightly succulent, linear, green leaves 15–25 mm (0.59–0.98 in) long and ½—2 mm (0.02—0.08 in) wide with a pointed tip and an entire margin. The bracts (orstipules) to the right and left of the foot of the leaf proper are also linear, clinging to the leaf blade (oradnate), and with a small tooth on each side at the base.[1] The somewhat scented, nodding flowers[2] grow individually from the leaf axils on long flower stalks (orpedicels) so the flowers are above the leaves, with two small bracts almost opposite each other in the upper part of the stalk. The fivesepals are narrowly oval in shape with a pointed tip and are 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long. The five petals are purple or violet, veined, with the four upper ones oblong and 5–10 mm (0.20–0.39 in) long, the lower one shorter and connected to a 2–5 mm (0.079–0.197 in) long, tube-shaped, bluntspur. The orangeanthers hang together (in jargonconnivent), and two have extensions that reach into the spur and producenectar. Theovary is globe-shaped, and later develops into an ovalcapsule 5–9 mm (0.20–0.35 in) long. The capsule contains oval yellow seeds 3 millimetres (0.12 in) long, with very fine granules.[1]Viola decumbens flowers from July right through to December in the southern hemisphere.[2]
The species was first described byCarl Linnaeus the Younger in 1782.[1] New research suggests it belongs to thesectionXylinosium, together with two species from the Mediterranean:V. arborescens andV. saxifraga.[3] The species namedecumbens refers to the fact that the stems are creeping at their base.[4]
Viola decumbens occurs only in the extreme south of the Western Cape, for instance in the Kogelberg andHottentots Holland Mountains. It prefers moist sandy soils on low altitude slopes.[2]