Viola cameleo H. Boissieu

Herbs perennial. Rhizome procumbent, slightly robust, covered with scales, with numerous roots. Roots yellowish when dry, 7-10 cm, with numerous fibrous roots. Stems 15-20 cm tall, slender, smooth, glabrous. Basal leaves 1 or 2; petiole long, 6-8 cm, slender; leaf blade broadly ovate or triangular-ovate, 1.5-3 × 2-3.5 cm, abaxially puberulous, adaxially usually glabrous, base broadly cordate, margin crenate, apex long acuminate. Stipules lanceolate, 3-6 mm, herbaceous, margin remotely dentate, apex acute; cauline leaves similar to basal ones, but smaller; petiole short, 0.5-2 cm; leaf blade base shallowly cordate or truncate. Flowers solitary in upper leaf axils, golden-yellow or yellowish, often purple striate; pedicels 2-5 cm, more than 2 × as long as leaves, slender, 2-bracteolate at upper part; bracteoles undeveloped, subulate. Sepals very narrow, linear, ca. 0.5 cm × 0.5-0.8 mm, apex acute, basal auricles very short, often shallowly dentate. Upper and lateral petals oblong, ca. 1 cm × 3-4 mm, not barbate, anterior one obovate; spur tubular, 3-4 mm, ca. 1 mm in diam., slightly slender, straight or slightly curved. Ovary ovoid, smooth, glabrous; styles 2-lobed in upper part, lobes oblong, apex obtuse. Fl. May-Jul, fr. Aug-Sep.

W Hubei, Sichuan, NW Yunnan.

● Thickets; 1800-3800 m.

Viola henryi H. Boissieu var. cameleo (H. Boissieu) Chang.