Viola kauaensis

A.Gray (1854)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Malpighiales Family: Violaceae Genus: Viola

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Perennial herbs.

Stems: Lateral stems ascending to decumbent, ca. 10–50 cm long, glabrous, rhizomes few–branched, subterranean.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate, widely spaced. Blades reniform–cordate, broadly or depressed–reniform, broadly cordate, or broadly rhombic–orbicular, unlobed or rarely 3–lobed, (1.5–)2–5 cm long, (1.5–)3.5–6(–9) cm wide. Base cordate to truncate or broadly cuneate. Surfaces glabrous or with a few minute hairs. Margins crenate. Petioles 1–30(–42) cm long. Stipules thin, submembranous, lanceolate, (3–)6–9(–14) mm long, (1.5–)3–5 mm wide, glabrous, margins serrate, the glandular teeth 0.1–0.3 mm long.

Flowers: Flowers solitary in the leaf axils. Flowers bisexual (perfect), cleistogamous flowers produced, usually occurring on short lateral stems. Pedicels 15–90 mm long, bracteoles well above middle of peduncle. Calyx of 5 sepals, subequal, prolonged into appendages below the point of insertion, persistent; chasmogamous flowers with sepals oblong–lanceolate, upper and lower ones (4–)8.2–8.7 mm long, lateral ones (4–)9.1–9.5 mm long, all sepals distinctly prolonged at base; cleistogamous flowers upper and lower sepals ca. 6–7 mm long, lateral ones ca. 7–8 mm long. Corolla zygomorphic, consisting of 5 distinct petals, these unequal, lateral ones smaller than upper pair; chasmogamous flower petals white on upper surface, lower surface purple or blue to white, narrowly spatulate, glabrous, upper petals ca. 15–19 mm long, lateral ones ca. 18–23 mm long, Iower one ca. 18–25 mm long, slightly saccate at base, apex of all petals notched, slightly asymmetrically so in lateral ones; cleistogamous flower petals greenish, glabrous, upper ones ca. 1–1.6 mm long, 3-lobed, lateral ones linear, 3–4.5 mm long, lower one oblong–spatulate, ca. 4–5.2 mm long, scarcely saccate at base. Stamens 5, staminal filaments coherent around ovary; anther connective of lower Stamens prolonged into an appendage, dithecal, opening by longitudinal slits; chasmogamous flowers upper stamen sterile, connective of lower ones prolonged; cleistogamous flowers upper stamen sterile, petaloid, lateral ones petaloid, lower one more similar to those in chasmogamous flowers. Ovary superior, 3-carpellate, 1-celled, placentation parietal; ovules numerous per placenta, anatropous; chasmogamous flower style geniculate and with a low, somewhat distinct crest; cleistogamous flower style closely pressed against stamens.

Fruit: Capsules with loculicidal dehiscence; 8–13 mm long; deeply lobed; elastically dehiscent by rigid keels and thin valve walls. Seeds numerous; brown; obovoid; 2–2.1 mm long; 1.1–1.3 mm in diameter; smooth; apex rounded; seed coat somewhat leathery; dull; with fleshy; oily endosperm.

Ploidy:

Habitat: Open bogs.

Elevation Range: 630–640 m. and 1,150–1,175 m.

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Endemic

Island Status

Kaua'i Endemic
O'ahu Endemic

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Specimens

Bibliography

Name Published In: U.S. Expl. Exped., Phan. 1: 85 (1854)

Other References

St. John 1989:173 (SPNOV/O [as V. hosakae], DESCR, KEY); Havran et al. 2014:44 (RESURRECT/O, STATNOV, COMBNOV, DESCR, KEY)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Scientific Name Authorship Locality Habitat Basis of Record Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Viola kauaensis A.Gray lihue district, major ridge above iole Metrosideros-Cheirodendron with matting ferns of Diploterygium, Dicranopteris and mixed wet forest W/ Psychotria mariniana, Antidesma platyphylla, Kadua affinis, Melicope clusiifolia, Vaccinium calycinum, Coprosma kauaense, Dubautia laxa, D. paleata, D. imbricata, windswept ridges and forest patche PRESERVED_SPECIMEN wood, k.r. collector number: 14466 Kauai BISH 2/2/2011
2 Viola kauaensis A.Gray Koolau Range, divide between head of Kawainui and Kaipaupau Gulches Divide between head of Kawainui and Kaipapau Gulches. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Hosaka, E.Y. 2504 Oahu BISH 7/3/1938
3 Viola kauaensis A.Gray alakai, east of the sincock bog system, olapalapa camp and lz Rhynchospora 70%, Racomitrium 20% Bog, Bog, with islands of Metrosideros 10% associated with Cheirodendron dominii, Carex aligata, C. montis-eeka, Oreobolus furcata, Dichanthelium cynodon, Coprosma elliptica, Vaccinium dentatum, V. reticulatum, V. calycinum, Wikstoremia oahuensis var. plaustris, Nertera granadensis, Leptecophylla tameiameiae, Myrsin PRESERVED_SPECIMEN wood, k.r. fafson, j collector number: 12361 Kauai BISH 5/7/2007
4 Viola kauaensis A.Gray Lihue District, major ridge above Iole Metrosideros-Cheirodendron with matting ferns of Diploterygium, Dicranopteris and mixed wet forest W/ Psychotria mariniana, Antidesma platyphylla, Kadua affinis, Melicope clusiifolia, Vaccinium calycinum, Coprosma kauaense, Dubautia laxa, D. paleata, D. imbricata, windswept ridges and forest patche PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Wood, K.R. 14466 Kauai BISH 2/2/2011
5 Viola kauaensis A.Gray Major ridge above Iole. Metrosideros-Cheirodendron with matting ferns of Diplopterygium, Dicranopteris and mixed wet forest. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN K. R. Wood 14466 Kauai PTBG 2/2/2011
6 Viola kauaensis A.Gray Kawaikini summit area, Southwest of peak of Kawaikini, off ridge on East side of ridge on Olokele valley rim, headwaters of Iliiliula valley. Sadleria- Dubautia shrubland PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Steve Perlman 24287 Kauai PTBG 1/8/2015
7 Viola kauaensis A.Gray Northeast of Kapalaoa peak. Open, inundated, wind swept ridge. Growing out of thick bryophyte mat of primarily Plectocolea sp. but also with Frullania sp., Herbertus sp., cyanobacteria, and moss. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Seana Walsh SKW93 Kauai PTBG 8/27/2015
8 Viola kauaensis A.Gray Alakai Wilderness Preserve, up from stream near TNC Camp. Above the steam 20 ft up steep slope Montane Metrosideros Riparian zone PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Natalia Tangalin 2487 Kauai PTBG 2/1/2011
9 Viola kauaensis A.Gray Kawaikini summit area, Southwest of peak of Kawaikini, off ridge on East side of ridge on Olokele valley rim, headwaters of Iliiliula valley. Sadleria- Dubautia shrubland PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Steve Perlman 24128 Kauai PTBG 9/18/2014
10 Viola kauaensis A.Gray koolau range, divide between head of kawainui and kaipaupau gulches PRESERVED_SPECIMEN hosaka, e.y. collector number: 2504 Hawaii BISH 7/3/1938