Viola henryi H. Boissieu

Herbs perennial, to 30-40 cm tall. Rhizome obliquely ascending or erect, to 7 cm, 2-4 mm in diam., with numerous long, slender rootlets. Stems solitary or several, erect, smooth, glabrous, leafless at base, few leaved at middle and lower parts, densely leaved at apex. Stipules green, ovate, 5-7 mm, margin fimbriate-dentate, apex acuminate; petioles 1-8 cm, those of leaves at middle and lower parts longer, usually slightly longer than or subequaling blades, those of leaves at apex conspicuously shorter than blades; blades adaxially green, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 3.5-8 × 2-4 cm, both surfaces sparsely puberulous or subglabrous, base shallowly cordate or rounded, slightly decurrent, margin obtusely serrate, apex long acuminate. Flowers in leaf axils at apex, purplish violet; pedicels much shorter than leaves, slender, 2-bracteolate at upper part; bracteoles opposite, subulate. Sepals narrowly linear, ca. 4 × 0.7 mm, margin narrowly membranous, apex acuminate, basal auricles very short, apex truncate. Petals oblong-obovate, upper ones 1-1.2 cm × ca. 4 mm, lateral ones ca. 1.1 cm × 3 mm, glabrous, anterior one ca. 9 mm (spur included); spur shallowly saccate, 2-3 mm, ca. 2.5 mm in diam. Anthers ca. 2 mm, appendage of connectives ca. 2 mm, spur of 2 anterior stamens shortly angular, ca. 2 mm, ca. 2 mm in diam. Ovary ovoid-globose, glabrous; styles clavate, slightly geniculate forward at base; stigmas margined on lateral sides and abaxially, shortly beaked in front, beak nearly erect, with a rounded stigma hole at tip. Fl. May, fr. Jul.

W Hubei, NW Hunan, E Sichuan.

● Shaded and moist places in forest understories of mountain valleys; 1200-1800 m.