Putnam Park Wildflowers


Flower ID: IMG_0339.JPG-05-12-2017
Flower name (scientific): Viola pubescens Aiton PY: 1789. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) vy-OH-la pew-BES-senz
Flower name (common): Smooth Yellow Violet
Family name (common): Violet
Family name (scientific): Violaceae
Scientific name origin:
     Genus: The Latin name for violets.
    Specific epithet: Downy-hairy.
Common name origin: From the color. The stem may be smooth or hairy, hence from the latter, the other common name Downy Yellow Violet. Violet is from the old French violete, and the Latin viola, the latter being used as the name for the genus.
Flower description:
     Size: 0.3 to 0.8 inches (0.8 to 2.0 cm)
     Petal count: 5
     Color: Yellow
     Other: flower arrangement, Solitary
Plant description: Erect
     Size: 4 to 18 inches (10 to 46 cm)
     Stem hairy:
     Other:
Leaf description: attachment is basal and alternate, type is simple
     Size: Leaves up to about 7.5 cm long and up to 6 cm wide.
     Color:
     Hairy:
     Other: Shape: leaf, oval-cordate or orbicular-cordate (IL)
Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native
Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common
Bloom time (typical): April to June
Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial
Habitat: Woods, forests, streambanks, shade or part shade, mesic to dry.
Fruit:
Seed:
Importance to wildlife: Historical data: Robertson (1889, p. 172-173) made the following obervations on insect vistors to this flower: Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, sawflies, and ants); Apidae (Family of bees): Anthophora ursina, Synhalonia honesta, Ceratina dupla, Osmia albiventris (O. rustica), O. atriventris, Nomada bisignata, Andrenidce: Andrena sp., Augochlora pura, Halictus coriaceus, H. fasciatus, H. pilosus, H. connexus, H. stultus. Diptera (flies); Bombyliidae (bee flies): Bombylius fratellus. Tachinidae (tachinid flies): Gonia frontosa. Syrphidae (Hover flies, also called flower flies): Carposcalis obscura (Melanostoma obscurum), Mesograpta marginata and Paragus tibialis. Lepidotera (butterflies and moths); Rhopalocera (clade of all butterfly species): Colias philodice, Nisoniades juvenalis, N. martialis.
Similar species (if any): Viola nuttallii (Yellow Prairie Violet) is similar, but this species is not recorded in Wisconsin and is listed as threatened in Minnesota, the latter state representing the most eastern edge of the range of this species in the US.
Ethnobotany: The Potawatomi used the roots to prepare a medicine for treating different heart diseases (Smith, p. 87, 1933). The ojibwa employed the root to prepare a medicine for sore throat (Moerman, p. 597, 1998). Other tribes including the Cherokee and Iroquois prepared medicines for various ailments from this plant (Moerman, p. 597, 1998).
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Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map
In US: (AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV, WY) Click here for distribution map
In Canada: (MB, NB, NS, ON, PE, QC, SK) Click here for distribution map
References:
Synonym(s):
Basionym: na
Homotypic Synonym(s):
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Autonym: na
Wetland Status (NC): FACU
Wetland Status (MW): FACU