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Viola umbraticola

Kunth

Ponderosa Violet

G3Vulnerable (G3G4) Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
Medium - lowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.160562
Element CodePDVIO042E0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderViolales
FamilyViolaceae
GenusViola
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
Comprised of two varieties in Mexico, one of which reaches north to southeastern Arizona, U.S.A. (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2015, Kearney and Peebles 1951, Little 2001).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x
Review Date2018-12-10
Change Date2001-04-06
Edition Date2018-12-09
Edition AuthorsB. MacBryde (2001), rev. C. Nordman (2018).
Threat ImpactMedium - low
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank Reasons
Viola umbraticola occurs from southeastern Arizona, as far south as Tlaxcala, Mexico, and Veracruz states, in central Mexico. It occurs in ponderosa pine forest in pine-oak forest, and is threatened by invasive exotic plants, extreme drought, and other factors.
Range Extent Comments
Viola umbraticola occurs in southeastern Arizona, and in 11 states in Mexico (SEINet 2018, Villaseñor 2016). Its range extends south along the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range from Sonora and Chihuahua states into central Mexico, then as far south as Tlaxcala, Mexico, and Veracruz states (IBUNAM 2018, Villaseñor 2016).
Occurrences Comments
There are about 50 documented locations of Viola umbraticola throughout its range in Arizona and Mexico (IBUNAM 2018, NatureServe Network Database as of December 2018, SEINet 2018, Villaseñor 2016).
Threat Impact Comments
Invasive exotic species are a threat to Viola umbraticola, especially exotic grasses which may invade pinelands. Extreme drought and habitat alteration or habitat shifting from climate change are threats. Since Viola umbraticola is dispersed by ants (Little 2001) it might not be able to disperse rapidly enough into newly suitable habitats during climate change.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

Viola umbraticola is a stemless violet, a perennial herb, with more or less heart shaped leaves, and white to violet short-spurred flowers, often with purple dots. It is up to 11 cm tall (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2015, Little 2001).

Diagnostic Characteristics

In Arizona, Viola umbraticola can be distinguished by growing in dry places, and being a perennial (with a woody taproot), stemless violet, with small stipules, more or less heart shaped leaves, and white to violet short-spurred flowers, often with purple dots (Little 2001).

Habitat

Viola umbraticola occurs in pine forests and woodlands, pine-oak forests and woodlands, and mixed conifer - oak woodlands on slopes, canyon bottoms, and riparian areas (SEINet 2018). Viola umbraticola is often at the base of trees and shrubs where pine needle duff is deep (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2015, Little 2001). In Arizona, Sonora and Chihuahua Viola umbraticola occurs at 1585 - 2460 m (5200 - 8070 feet) elevation (SEINet 2018), but further south in Durango and Michoacán states it occurs at 2300 - 2840 m (7550 - 9320 feet) elevation (IBUNAM 2018).

Reproduction

The fruits of Viola umbraticola are capsules which are explosively dehiscent, sending the seeds flying for short distances. The seeds are also ant dispersed (Little 2001).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - ConiferForest - MixedWoodland - ConiferWoodland - Mixed
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN2
ProvinceRankNative
ArizonaS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesRestricted - smallModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh - moderate
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh - moderate
11 - Climate change & severe weatherRestricted (11-30%)Serious - moderateHigh - moderate
11.1 - Habitat shifting & alterationLarge - restrictedModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh - moderate
11.2 - DroughtsRestricted (11-30%)Serious - moderateHigh - moderate

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Arizona (1)
AreaForestAcres
Oracle RoadlessCoronado National Forest22,365
References (9)
  1. Arizona Game and Fish Department. 2004. <i>Viola umbraticola</i>. Unpublished abstract compiled and edited by the Heritage Data Management System, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix, AZ. 4 pp. Online. Available: https://www.azgfd.com/wildlife/heritagefund/ (Accessed 2018).
  2. Departamento de Botánica, Instituto de Biología (IBUNAM). 2018.<i> Viola umbraticola </i>Kunth, ejemplar de: Herbario Nacional de México (MEXU), Plantas Vasculares. En Portal de Datos Abiertos UNAM (en línea), México. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Online. Available: http://datosabiertos.unam.mx/IBUNAM:MEXU:647499 (Accessed 2018).
  3. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2015. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 6. Magnoliophyta: Cucurbitaceae to Droserceae. Oxford University Press, New York. 496 pp + xxiv.
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. Kearney, T.H., R.H. Peebles, and collaborators. 1951. Arizona flora. 2nd edition with Supplement (1960) by J.T. Howell, E. McClintock, and collaborators. Univ. California Press, Berkeley. 1085 pp.
  6. Little, R.J. 2001. Vascular plants of Arizona: Violaceae Violet Family. Canotia 33(1): 73-82. Online. Available: http://www.canotia.org/vpa_volumes/VPA_JANAS_2001_Vol33_1_Little_Violaceae.pdf (Accessed 2018).
  7. Martin, P.S., D. Yetman, M. Fishbein, P. Jenkins, T.R. Van Devender, and R.K. Wilson. 1998. Gentry's Rio Mayo plants; The tropical deciduous forest &amp; environs of northwest Mexico. Univ. Arizona Press, Tucson. 558 pp. + map.
  8. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2018. Collections Databases. Online. Available: http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/ (accessed 2018).
  9. Villaseñor, J.L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad 87: 559-902.