Viola pedata
L.
Bird's-foot Violet
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Reuven Martin, CC0 1.0
Reuven Martin, CC0 1.0
kamonsen, CC BY-NC 4.0
cassi saari, CC BY-NC 4.0
cassi saari, CC BY-NC 4.0
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.149253
Element CodePDVIO041H0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderViolales
FamilyViolaceae
GenusViola
Other Common Names
birdfoot violet (EN) Crow's-foot Violet (EN) Squirrel Corn Bird's-foot Violet (EN) Violette pédalée (FR)
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
FNA (vol. 6, 2015) recognizes two distinct varieties in Viola pedata (pedata and ranunculifolia), while Kartesz (1994) does not.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-09-19
Change Date1984-10-03
Edition Date2024-09-19
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Viola pedata is a wide-ranging perennial herb in a variety of open habitats occurring throughout eastern North America from southern Ontario, Canada and New Hampshire west to Minnesota and Nebraska south to Georgia and Texas. Threats include potentially include development, logging, rights-of-way maintenance, recreational activities, succession, invasive species. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Viola pedata occurs throughout eastern North America from southern Ontario, Canada and New Hampshire west to Minnesota and Nebraska south to Georgia and Texas (Ballard et al. 2023, FNA 2015, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2024). Range extent was estimated to be over 3 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are over 3,000 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is potentially threatened by development, logging, rights-of-way maintenance, recreational activities, succession, invasive species, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat
Habitat
Viola pedata grows in dry rocky or sandy, open woodlands, longleaf pine sandhills, prairies, oak savannas, glades, fields, and rights-of-way (Ballard et al. 2023, FNA 2015, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2024).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest EdgeWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedSavannaGrassland/herbaceousBarrens
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | SNR | Yes |
| Kentucky | SNR | Yes |
| Michigan | SNR | Yes |
| Alabama | SNR | Yes |
| Minnesota | SNR | Yes |
| Missouri | SNR | Yes |
| Indiana | SNR | Yes |
| Iowa | S4 | Yes |
| Rhode Island | S3 | Yes |
| Mississippi | SNR | Yes |
| West Virginia | S4 | Yes |
| Massachusetts | SNR | Yes |
| North Carolina | S4 | Yes |
| Texas | SNR | Yes |
| Delaware | S1 | Yes |
| District of Columbia | SNR | Yes |
| Tennessee | SNR | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | SNR | Yes |
| Maryland | SNR | Yes |
| Kansas | S3 | Yes |
| Connecticut | SNR | Yes |
| Nebraska | S1 | Yes |
| Ohio | S3 | Yes |
| New Hampshire | SNR | Yes |
| Virginia | S5 | Yes |
| Arkansas | SNR | Yes |
| New York | S3 | Yes |
| Wisconsin | SNR | Yes |
| New Jersey | S4 | Yes |
| Georgia | SNR | Yes |
| South Carolina | SNR | Yes |
| Oklahoma | SNR | Yes |
| Illinois | SNR | Yes |
CanadaN1
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | S1 | Yes |
Threat Assessments
| Threat | Scope | Severity | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown/undetermined | — | — | — |
Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (56)
Alabama (2)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Mountain | Talladega National Forest | 4,986 |
| Oakey Mountain | Talladega National Forest | 6,129 |
Arkansas (9)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Bear Mountain | Ouachita National Forest | 1,910 |
| Blue Mountain | Ouachita National Forest | 9,755 |
| Brush Heap | Ouachita National Forest | 4,205 |
| Clifty Canyon | Ozark-St. Francis National Forest | 1,963 |
| Devils Canyon | Ozark-St. Francis National Forest | 1,877 |
| Dismal Creek | Ozark-St. Francis National Forest | 9,160 |
| East Fork | Ozark-St. Francis National Forest | 13,037 |
| Little Blakely | Ouachita National Forest | 3,342 |
| Pedestal Rocks | Ozark-St. Francis National Forest | 21,957 |
Georgia (3)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Lance Creek | Chattahoochee National Forest | 9,025 |
| Pink Knob | Chattahoochee National Forest | 12,127 |
| Rocky Mountain | Chattahoochee National Forest | 4,269 |
Louisiana (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Saline Bayou W & S River Corridor | Kisatchie National Forest | 5,355 |
North Carolina (10)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Bald Mountain | Pisgah National Forest | 11,085 |
| Big Indian (addition) | Nantahala National Forest | 1,155 |
| Boteler Peak | Nantahala National Forest | 4,205 |
| Cheoah Bald | Nantahala National Forest | 7,795 |
| Dobson Knob | Pisgah National Forest | 6,111 |
| Jarrett Creek | Pisgah National Forest | 7,485 |
| Linville Gorge Addition | Pisgah National Forest | 2,809 |
| Tusquitee Bald | Nantahala National Forest | 13,670 |
| Wesser Bald | Nantahala National Forest | 4,061 |
| Woods Mountain | Pisgah National Forest | 9,602 |
Oklahoma (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Beech Creek | Ouachita National Forest | 8,303 |
South Carolina (2)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Bee Cove | Sumter National Forest | 3,025 |
| Big Mountain | Sumter National Forest | 2,337 |
Tennessee (2)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Bald Mountain | Cherokee National Forest | 11,743 |
| Bald River Gorge Addition | Cherokee National Forest | 1,728 |
Virginia (23)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Adams Peak | George Washington National Forest | 7,135 |
| Beards Mountain | George Washington National Forest | 7,505 |
| Broad Run | Jefferson National Forest | 10,971 |
| Brush Mountain | Jefferson National Forest | 6,002 |
| Brush Mountain East | Jefferson National Forest | 4,916 |
| Crawford Mountain | George Washington National Forest | 9,892 |
| Elliott Knob | George Washington National Forest | 9,380 |
| Hoop Hole | Jefferson National Forest | 4,652 |
| Kelley Mountain | George Washington National Forest | 7,590 |
| Little River | George Washington National Forest | 27,292 |
| Mill Mountain | George Washington National Forest | 10,840 |
| Mt. Pleasant | George Washington National Forest | 8,933 |
| North Mountain | Jefferson National Forest | 8,377 |
| Northern Massanutten | George Washington National Forest | 9,444 |
| Oak Knob | George Washington National Forest | 10,882 |
| Patterson Mountain | Jefferson National Forest | 4,865 |
| Price Mountain | Jefferson National Forest | 9,119 |
| Raccoon Branch | Jefferson National Forest | 4,388 |
| Ramseys Draft Addition | George Washington National Forest | 12,781 |
| Saint Marys Addition | George Washington National Forest | 1,454 |
| Southern Massanutten | George Washington National Forest | 11,985 |
| The Priest | George Washington National Forest | 5,737 |
| Three Sisters | George Washington National Forest | 8,149 |
West Virginia (3)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Dry River (WV) | George Washington National Forest | 7,331 |
| Little Allegheny Mountain | Monongahela National Forest | 10,514 |
| Middle Mountain | Monongahela National Forest | 19,020 |
References (8)
- Ballard, H.E. Jr., J.T. Kartesz, and M. Nishino. 2023. A taxonomic treatment of the violets (Violaceae) of the northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 150(1): 3-266.
- 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.
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
- iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
- 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.
- NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
- Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).
- Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2024. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of March 4, 2024. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2203 pp.