阔萼堇菜 kuo e jin cai

Viola binchuanensis S. H. Huang; V. brunneostipulosa Handel-Mazzetti.

Herbs perennial, dwarf, nearly acaulescent, 7-10 cm tall. Rhizome ca. 2 cm (shortened stem included), ca. 2 mm in diam., with dense nodes and leaves, sometimes with stolons. Leaves nearly basal; stipules adnate to petioles only at base, deep brown, upper ones ovate, inner ones broadly lanceolate, ca. 1.2 cm, margin entire, apex acuminate; petiole 2-5 cm, soft, glabrous; leaf blade broadly ovate or suborbicular, 1-3 × 1.5-3 cm, both surfaces glabrous, densely brown punctate, adaxially sparsely white puberulous near margin, base deeply cordate, margin densely and shallowly crenulate, apex obtuse or orbicular. Flowers white, medium-sized; pedicels exceeding leaves, glabrous, 2-bracteolate above middle; bracteoles brown, linear. Sepals broadly ovate to ovate, ca. 5 × 3 mm, 3-veined, apex acute, basal auricles very short, abaxially brown punctate, margin densely ciliate. Petals oblong-obovate, lateral ones glabrous, anterior one ca. 1 cm (spur included); spur short, slightly longer than basal auricles of sepals, 1.5-2 mm. Anthers of anterior stamens ca. 2 mm, appendage of connectives ca. 1 mm; spur short, only ca. 1.5 mm, broad. Ovary broadly ovoid; styles nearly erect at base, slightly thickened in upper part; stigmas curved forward and thickly beaked in front, with a large stigma hole at tip of beak. Fl. Apr and Sep, fr. May-Oct.

● Mountain slopes, shaded and moist places along roadsides; 1900-3000 m. Sichuan, Yunnan.