PLANT PROFILE

Viola brittoniana看
Northern coastal violet


Viola brittoniana看
Viola brittoniana看
Photo courtesy Renee Brecht
Britton & Brown Line Drawing
Botanical name: Viola brittoniana看
Common name: Northern coastal violet
Group: dicot
Family: Violaceae
Growth type: forb/herb
Duration: perennial
Origin: native
Plant height: to 7"
Foliage: Leaf stalks and underside of leaves smooth; early leaves may be toothed. Leaves are palmately divided   Lobes extend nearly to base of blade, the 5-9 lobes
linear-lanceolate, the middle lobe 3-divided
Flower: 1 - 1 1/2"  Rich violet with conspicuous white throat
Flowering time: Flowers late April to early June
Fruits, of cleistogenes, latae July to late August (Stone)
Habitat: Sandy or peaty soil
Range in New Jersey:  throughout southern NJ and the Middle district
Heritage ranking, if any: S3
Distribution:
Misc. USDA lists as FAC (facultative): equally likely to occur in wetlands (estimated probability 34% - 66%) or non-wetlands.

Stone states that this "form of the cut-leaved group was first recognized by Dr. N.L Britton, Director of the New York Botanic Garden, formerly botanist to the New Jersey Geological Survey and author of the Catalogue of New Jersey Plants, 1888" (567).

Variety brittoniana is listed by NJ Natural Heritage database as S3; while variety pectinata is listed as SH (state historical). The USDA plant database also shows two varieties; however many botanists currently consider pectinata to be a forma of brittoniana rather than a separate variety. (Boissiera 53:9-126. 1997).

Brittoniana for Nathaniel Lord Britton, 1859-1934