Viola section Danxiaviola W. B. Liao et Q. Fan, 2015

Fan, Qiang, Chen, Sufang, Wang, Longyuan, Chen, Zaixiong & Liao, Wenbo, 2015, A new species and new section of Viola (Violaceae) from Guangdong, China, Phytotaxa 197 (1), pp. 15-26 : 19

Viola section Danxiaviola W. B. Liao et Q. Fan , sect. nov.

Type:— Viola hybanthoides W. B. Liao et Q. Fan

Subfrutex perennis. Rhizoma praesente vel abscente. Caulis aeria evoluta. Sepala subaequalia, basi producta auriculata. Petalum inferius maximum, ungue elongato, basi saccato. Stylus clavatus inferne curvatus, stigmate non antice rostro, lamellato processu infra cavum stigmatis.

Subshrubs perennial. Rhizomes present or absent. Aerial stems developed. Sepals subaequalia, basally auriculate. Petals unequal, upper ones smallest, anterior one biggest, with a narrow and long claw and short saccate spur at base. Style clavate, curved at base; stigma capitate, bifid slightly, not beaked and with a stigmatic hole in front and with a lamellar processus below the hole.

Etymology: —We named this new section “ Danxiaviola ” because the type species is endemic to Mt. Danxia.

This new section contains only one species. To distinguish the sections of Viola in China, an identification key is provided (based on Chen et al. 2007).