Viola sieberiana
Stoloniferous perennial herb, glabrous to scabrous- or papillate-pubescent. Leaves tufted, lamina broadly ovate to rhombic, 5–15(–20) mm long, 7–20(–30) mm wide, base broadly cuneate to nearly truncate, apex obtuse to subacute, margins shallowly 5–9(–13)-toothed; petioles 1–5(–8) cm long; stipules free, linear-lanceolate, 2–5 mm long, usually shallowly laciniate. Flower-scapes slightly shorter than to (mostly) exceeding leaves, to 8 cm long, bracteoles near middle. Sepals lanceolate, 2–5 mm long, acute, basal appendages small; petals mostly 4–6 mm long, uniformly sky-blue to lilac, lower (anterior) petal rectangular to obovate, lacking a spur, nervation indistinct, lateral petals glabrous or with a small central patch of small papillae, not or barely twisted. Capsule ovoid, 6–8 mm long. Seeds ovoid, ca 2 mm long, slightly glossy dark reddish-brown. Flowers Sep.–Dec.
Wim, GleP, Brid, VVP, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, EGL, EGU, WPro, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz, HFE, VAlp. Also SA, NSW. Localised in Victoria but locally common in heath and heathy woodland, usually on sandy soils south and west from the Grampians. Mostly at low altitude but to c. 900 m on the Mt William Range.
Previously treated as Viola hederacea subsp. seppeltiana, but overall morphology appears to be that of V. sieberiana or a closely related entity yet to be segregated. Its occurrence in south-eastern SA and south-western Victorian is very disjunct from its other occurrence in sandstone country in the Sydney area.
Plants in the Grampians are rather atypical and may represent yet another undescribed taxon, leaves are distinctly purplish and variably hairy.
Some Victorian plants previously assigned to Viola sieberiana Spreng. (e.g.Willis, 1973) are now referrable to Viola fuscoviolacea (L.G.Adams) T.A.James, and Viola cleistogamoides (L.G.Adams) Seppelt.
Entwisle, T.J. (1996). Viola. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 3, Dicotyledons Winteraceae to Myrtaceae, pp. 82–84. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
SpinningWillis, J.H. (1973). A handbook to plants in Victoria. Melbourne University Press, Carlton.
