毛瓣堇菜 mao ban jin cai

Viola betonicifolia Smith f. pubescens H. Hara; V. philippica Cavanilles var. yunnanfuensis W. Becker.

Herbs perennial, acaulescent, to 7 cm tall. Rhizome erect, brownish, 1.5-2.5 cm, slightly robust; roots straightly descending, long, robust. Leaves usually numerous, basal; stipules brown, 1/2-2/3 united with petioles, free part linear-lanceolate, margin entire or sparsely brown glandular denticulate, apically acuminate; petioles exceeding or shorter than blades, narrowly winged in upper part, with sparse spreading short stiff hairs or glabrous; blades in upper part lanceolate, those in lower part triangular-ovate or oblong-ovate, 3-4.5 × 2-3 cm, both surfaces pubescent or nearly glabrous, base broadly cordate or cuneate, decurrent to petiole, margin sparsely obtuse-crenate, apex obtuse. Flowers purplish violet or white with purple veins, ca. 1.5 cm in diam.; pedicels exceeding leaves at anthesis, 2-bracteolate below middle; bracteoles linear, 5-7 mm, margin entire. Sepals lanceolate, ca. 5 mm, ca. 1.5 mm wide at base, apex acute; basal auricles short, ca. 0.5 mm, glabrous, 3-veined, margin entire or sometimes repand-crenate, apex obtuse. Petals obovate, margin entire, lateral petals densely bearded, upper petals also few bearded, anterior petal ca. 1.5 cm (spur included); spur shallowly saccate, short, 1-2(-3) mm, stout, ca. 2 mm thick, apex rounded. Ovary glabrous, oblong; styles slender, clavate, geniculate at base, ca. 1.5 mm; stigmas with slightly thin and straightly spreading margin on 2 lateral sides and behind, slightly convex in central part, shortly beaked in front, with smaller stigma hole at tip of beak. Capsule oblong, 1-1.2 cm, glabrous, apex acute. Seeds red-brown, ovoid-globose, ca. 2 mm, ca. 1.5 mm thick. Fl. Feb-Jun, fr. Jun-Dec.

Grassy slopes, thickets; 1600-3400 m. SW Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan [Bhutan].