Viola banksii

Detailed description

Vigorous perennial herb spreading by stolons; rootstock sometimes somewhat swollen and bulbous at the stem bases. Stems contracted so that the leaves form rosettes. Leaves broad-reniform to orbicular, the largest 12–35 mm long (from the base of the sinus to the apex of the lamina), 20–65 mm wide, 1.0–2.0 times wider than long, with a narrow basal sinus; lamina with 10–20 +/- prominent teeth, glabrous, +/- concolorous bright green; stipules narrowly triangular to broadly triangular, usually with several small or elongate, glandular teeth on each side. Flowers on scapes to 15 cm long and exceeding the leaves, strongly discolorous violet-and-white; anterior petal 7–12 mm long, 5–10 mm wide, distinctly and regularly ovate to broad-elliptic, broadest in the middle third, usually emarginate, with a large green v-shaped blotch at the base then rich violet for over half its length contrasting sharply with a prominent white apex, prominently 3-nerved, the midnerve not or scarcely anastomosing with the lateral nerves which branch +/- regularly towards the margins; lateral petals widely spreading, 8–14 mm long, strongly twisted to c. 180°, rich violet at the base grading to white distally; beard covering half or more of the width of the lateral petals; dorsal petals 8–15 mm long, 4–9 mm wide, ovate to broadly obovate, erect to strongly reflexed, rich violet at the flexure, white for most of their length. Anthers 2.0–5.0 mm long, cream, often flushed or flecked with violet, the terminal appendages straw-coloured, with short, irregular hairs on the outer margins of the anther cells; anther glands whitish green (never purplish), almost as long as the anther cells, very prominent, broad and high, +/- smooth; pollen and interior margins of the anther cells yellow to golden. Ovary and fruit whitish or pale green, often flecked or flushed purple; style distinctly geniculate at its insertion on the ovary. Seeds 1.8–2.5 mm long, glossy purplish-black, +/- smooth to irregularly rugose.