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Viola ×bissellii

Viola ×bissellii House

Bissell's Hybrid Violet

Violaceae (Violet family)

Synonym(s): Viola ×conturbata

USDA Symbol: VIBI3

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Hybrid perennial. Stemless. Plant nearly glabrous. Peduncles longer than the leaves and flowers held above the foliage. Sepals lanceolate. Flower color various shades of blue. Capsules small and few-seeded. (Reslit: 2845.) "A sparsely pubescent, robust plant with sparsely ciliate sepals (at least on the auricles), slightly expanded petal hairs (i.e., intermediate between the two parents), variably prostrate to ascending cleistogamous peduncles, and a spurred petal that sometimes shows a few hairs. The corolla of this hybrid can be largely blue or is sometimes largely white with a blue ring around the white center." (Bibref: 1501).

Hybrid progeny of Viola cucullata and V. sororia. Published as an unnamed hybrid by Ezra Brainerd (Reslit: 2845) and subsequently as Viola ×conturbata by Homer D. House. (Bibref: 1795). "Viola ×bissellii is a fertile hybrid between V. sororia and V. cucullata. It is prolific and widespread, especially common in areas disturbed by humans. Specimens exhibit a wide range of intermediate character states, including degree and location of pubescence, length and shape of petal ("beard") hairs, number of cilia on the sepals, and height of peduncles, which may overtop leaves. Beard hairs are often from 0.5-0.9 mm in length and slightly expanded apically (i.e., intermediate between the corresponding traits of the parents)." (Webref: 33).