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Viola pachysoma
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If you aren't already smitten by rosulate violets, perhaps this blog will help! There is a spectacular ski area in westernmost Argentina based below several smoking volcanoes where two species of rosulate violets are extremely abundant, and have produced no end of intermediates: the hybrids now go by Viola blaxlandiae, named for a well known violet enthusiast from Philadelphia who was researching North and South American violets before her passing. This blog contains clear examples of the two species (V. pachysoma and V. cotyledon) and a series which I believe are intermediates.
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Viola blaxlandiae
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This one seems to be a clear intermediate: you can weigh in and see if you agree!
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| Viola pachysoma |
A typical tall columnar pachysoma (which once was lumped with V. columnaris)
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| Viola pachysoma? |
This seemed at first to be a clear pachysoma, but the flowers are perhaps a tad too large?
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| Viola blaxlandiae |
This one seems closer to the usually bright blue V. cotyledon: a tossup perhaps?
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| Viola cotyledon |
Pretty clearly classic cotyledon, no?
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| Viola blaxlandiae |
a pale cotyledon or hybrid?
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| Viola cotyledon |
One of dozens of monster violets on the mountain...
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| Viola cotyledon |
A closeup
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| Viola cotyledon |
Growing in a cushion plant...
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Viola cotyledon
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A habitat shot: a big scree...
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| Viola blaxlandiae |
Cuter than a bug's ear, don't you agree...I could easily post another few dozen pictures. (Don't tempt me!)
They are spectacular no matter what they are called, especially those clumps with multiple heads. Nice!
ReplyDeleteI love it when you post pictures of plants I have never seen or heard about. I totally agree these are cute as a bug's ear. They make my heart go piddy patter.
ReplyDeleteWe saw an amazing array of these gems in the same locations as you, Panayoti ... I have such a collection of images that I could probably put together another lecture on just the rosulate violas. I already have two talks on the myriad other species we saw during our three weeks with dear Marcela.
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