Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.131441
Element CodePDVIO04330
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusProvisional
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderViolales
FamilyViolaceae
GenusViola
SynonymsViola emarginata var. subsinuataGreeneViola subsinuata var. subsinuata
Other Common NamesEarly Blue Violet (EN) Hand-leaved Violet (EN) Violette subsinuée (FR) Wavy-leaved Violet (EN)
Concept ReferenceHaines, A. 2011. Flora Novae Angliae: a manual for the identification of native and naturalized higher vascular plants of New England. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. 973 pp.
Taxonomic CommentsKartesz (1999) treats as synonym of the hybrid Viola x bernardii.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-09-18
Change Date2024-09-18
Edition Date2024-09-18
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank ReasonsViola subsinuata is a perennial herb in a variety of forests in eastern North America, mainly at higher elevations in the Appalachian Mountains, extending onto the Piedmont northward and the Interior Lowland Plateau southward, from Ontario, Canada, and Massachusetts and Vermont to New York, south to northern Georgia, also the Great Lakes region, though differing concepts disagree on the western extent of the range. Threats include development, logging, succession, recreational activities (especially off-road vehicles), and 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 CommentsViola subsinuata occurs in eastern North America, mainly at higher elevations in the Appalachian Mountains, extending onto the Piedmont northward and the Interior Lowland Plateau southward, from Ontario, Canada, and Massachusetts and Vermont to New York, south to northern Georgia, also the Great Lakes region, western Kentucky and western Tennessee, though Ballard et al. (2023), exclude the Great Lakes distribution and note the need for additional study of material from Kentucky and Tennessee (FNA 2015). Range extent was estimated to be approximately 1.2 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 CommentsBy 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 only 135 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024). Due to different treatments of this entity, herbarium records and photo-based observations may underrepresent true abundance.
Threat Impact CommentsAlthough threats are not widely documented, this species is threatened by development, logging, succession, recreational activities (especially off-road vehicles), invasive species, and other threats in some places (NatureServe 2024). However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.