Flora of New York/Violaceae/Viola × modesta

Viola × modesta House Bull. New York State Mus. Nat. Hist. 254:509. 1924

Note: nom. illeg. later homonym non Fenzl (1842)

Hybrid parents:

• Viola lanceolata L. Sp. Pl. 2:934. 1753
• Viola primulifolia L. Sp. Pl. 2:934. 1753

Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club, Vol. 37, No. 4, April 1910

Pages 163-179:

The violets of Staten Island, Philip Dowell

Pages 176-177:

47. Viola lanceolata × primulifolia hyb. nov.

Plant taller and more slender than V. primulifolia, and in general appearance intermediate between this and V. lanceolata. Leaf-blades ovate to lanceolate, acute or obtuse, decurrent on the petiole, margin crenate with low teeth, the points of which are incurved. Early flowers on long slender peduncles equal to or longer than the petioles; capsules green, about 8 mm. long; seeds brown. (Plate 17.)

Plants collected at Grasmere, May 29, 1907 (4723, type), and some transplanted at home, showed the same intermediate character at the end of the season, with a general appearance more like V. lanceolata at the end of the season. Other specimens were found on South Avenue, June 9, 1907 (4760), transplanted and specimens again taken Sept. 29, 1907 (5249); also at Watchogue, Sept. 20, 1908 (5585), and from transplanted material Aug. 6, 1909 (5898). To this hybrid belong probably also: Tottenville, Sept. 9, 1868, W. H. Leggett (?); Watchogue, Sept. 30, 1883, Arthur Hollick (sheets 561, 562, and 572 in the herbarium of the Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences); Woodrow, June 22, 1907, Wm. T. Davis.

New York State Museum Bulletin. No. 254, September 1924

The University of the State of New York - New York State Museum

John M Clarke, Director - Homer D. House, State Botanist

Pages 5–759:

Annotated List of the Ferns and Flowering Plants of New York State

Pages 508-509:

24 Viola primulifolia L. Sp. Pl. 934. 1753 - Primrose-leaved violet

In moist open places. Common on Long Island and Staten Island. Rare and local northward to Westchester county.

25 Viola lanceolata L. Sp. Pl. 934. 1753 - Lance-leaved or water violet

Open bogs and low or wet meadows, fields and shores. Common in the southern part of the State. Local northward to Albany, Washington, Saratoga, Fulton, Hamilton and Essex counties (Lake Harris, 1550 feet altitude, House) west to Oneida, Onondaga and St. Lawrence counties.

× Viola modesta. (V. lanceolata × primiilifolia Dowell, Torr. Club Bul. 37: 176. pl. 17). Type from Staten Island.