Viola sphaerocarpa W. Becker

Herbs perennial, acaulescent, 6-12 cm tall, sparsely puberulous. Rhizome erect, whitish, slender, 2-2.5 mm in diam. inconspicuously noded, with branched rootlets in lower part. Leaves basal, numerous; stipules ca. 1/3 adnate to petioles at base, the free part subulate-linear, 0.8-1.4 cm, margin remotely glandular fimbriate-dentate; petiole to 13 cm, sparsely pubescent, narrowly winged in the upper part; leaf blade gray-green, orbicular-cordate or ovate-orbicular, 2.5-6.5 × 2-4.5 cm, both surfaces sparsely puberulous, more densely puberulous along veins abaxially, base deeply or broadly cordate, margin obtuse-serrate, apex ± acute or acuminate. Pedicels 3-6 cm, glabrous, with 2 ciliate bracteoles about the middle. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, puberulous along veins abaxially, basal auricles 2-3 mm, apex enlarged, dentate. Petals white, lateral petals bearded, anterior one 1.5-1.8 cm including spur, spur ca. 6 mm, ca. 2 mm in diam. Ovary glabrous. Capsule globose, 6-10 mm, glabrous. Seeds ca. 1.8 mm, ca. 1 mm in diam. Fl. Mar, fr. May-Oct.

Chongqing, S Shaanxi, Sichuan, NW Yunnan.

● Mountain forests, forest margins, thickets; 1200-3000 m.

Viola keiskei Miquel f. hirsutior W. Becker.