Viola biflora L.

Herbs perennial. Rhizome erect or obliquely ascending, slender or slightly robust, noded, with numerous rootlets. Stems 2 or several fasciculate, erect or obliquely ascending, 10-25 cm tall, slender, 3-5-noded, usually glabrous or sparsely puberulous when young. Basal leaves 2 to several; petiole 4-8 cm; leaf blade reniform, broadly ovate, or suborbicular to orbicular, 1-3 × 1-4.5 cm, abaxially glabrous, adaxially sparsely puberulous, sometimes puberulous on both surfaces, base cordate or subtruncate, margin obtusely dentate or shallowly repand-crenate, apex obtuse. Stipules free, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 3-6 mm, margin entire or remotely denticulate, apex acute; cauline leaves shortly petiolate; petiole glabrous or puberulous; leaf blade smaller than basal ones. Flowers yellow, sometimes whitish at late anthesis; pedicels 1-6 cm, slender, 2-bracteolate at upper part; bracteoles lanceolate. Sepals linear-lanceolate or lanceolate, 3-4 mm, apex acute, basal auricles very short, margin membranous, glabrous or shortly ciliate in middle and lower parts. Petals oblong-obovate, 6-8 mm, purple veined, lateral ones inside not barbate, anterior one ca. 1 cm (spur included); spur shortly cylindric, 0.5-2.5 mm; spur of anterior stamens shortly triangular. Ovary glabrous; styles clavate, base slightly geniculate, deeply 2-lobed in upper half, lobes obliquely spreading, with a conspicuous stigma hole in between lobes. Capsule oblong-ovoid, 4-7 mm, glabrous.

Annual-perennial herb, upto 20 cm high. Stem weak but distinct and slender. Leaves broadly reniform, cordate at base, crenate, 5-7-nerved, glabrous or sporadic or scattered hairs on the margins and the veins. Petiole glabrous to pubescent, up to 15 cm long of ramal leaves, and up to 4.5 cm long of cauline leaves. Stipules 2, opposite, ovate or oblong, entire, 3-5 (-6) x 1-3 mm, acute-subacute. Flowers solitary, 0.6-1.5 cm long, yellow, on.1.6 cm long peduncle. Bracteoles 2, opposite or subopposite, setaceous, membranous, 1-3 x c. 1 mm. Sepals 0.4-0.8 x 0.1-02 cm, lanceolate, acute, entire, cuneate and pubescent at base. Petals obovate to oblong, obtuse, entire, 0.7-1.2 x 0.3-0.5 cm; lateral petal slightly larger and beardless, 1.0-1.3 x 0.4-0.6 cm, striped with brown coloured streaks; spur short, 0.2-0.3 cm long, straight, obtuse. Ovary ovate, glabrous, c. 1.0 x 1.0 mm; style bibbed at the summit, 1.5 mm long. Capsule ovoid to oblong, 4-7.0 mm long, glabrous.

Europe, Siberia, C. Asia, Himalaya (Kashmir to NEFA), W. & N. China, N. Korea, Japan, W. N. America.

Gansu, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xinjiang, Xizang, Yunnan [Bhutan, NE India, Indonesia (N Sumatra), Japan, Kashmir, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia; Europe, North America].

Distribution: Europe, Central Asia, Pakistan and India.

2100-4500 m

Fl. Per.: May-August.

Alpine or subalpine meadows and grassy slopes, thickets, forests, forest margins, rocks and rock crevices; 2500-4300 m.