SPECIES DESCRIPTION
VIOLA CRETICA subsp. CRETICA
Family and Genus:- See- VIOLACEAE/Sect. VIOLA/Subsect. VIOLA
Common Names:- Cretan violet
Homotypic Synonyms:- Viola alba subsp. cretica
Meaning:- Viola The Latin name applied to several fragrant plants.
Cretica (L) From Crete, Cretan.
General description:- Acaulescent perennial herb with a basal leaf rosette and
usually with creeping to ascending,
Stems:-
1) 5-15 cm, usually hispid with hairs, 1.0-1.3 mm.
Leaves:-
1) Long-petiolate;
a) lamina, usually 1.5-4 cm, 1-1.5 times as long as wide, ovate-cordate,
subobtuse, with 13-18 crenulacae along one margin.
2) Stipules, linear-lanceolate, 4-8 times as long as wide, with long-fimbriate
margins.
3) Stolons, long (maximum intemodes 21-55 mm);
Flowers:-
1) Rather small, usually fragrant.
2) Sepals, oblong, obtuse.
3) Petals, violet:
a) lower, (l-)15-30 mm (incl. spur).
Fruit:-
1) Capsule, hairy, purplish.
2) Seeds, rounded to ovate.
Key features:-
1) Capsule, hairy, purplish.
2) Plant, usually hispid with hairs 1.0-1.3 mm.
Habitat:- Deciduous woodland, damp meadows and scrub. (50-)300-1800 m. on
various substrates.
Distribution:- Endemic to the four main massifs.
Flowering time:- Late Mar to June, depending on altitude.
Photos by:- Steve Lenton
Status:-
Conservation status (for threatened species): Rare (R) according to IUCN 1997.
Protection status (for threatened species): Greek Presidential Decree 67/1981.
