570111a Viola epipsila subsp. epipsila
Distribution
Northern Fennoscandia: Presence uncertain
Kanin - Pechora: Scattered
Polar Ural - Novaya Zemlya: Rare
Shrub Tundra: Rare
Bordering boreal or alpine areas: Frequent
2n=
24 (4x). - Europe (N), Russia (N). - Numerous reports.
Not included: Löve and Löve (1975a) reported Viola epipsila with 2n = 40 as its only chromosome number, strange as the base number of the group is assumed to be x = 6. The seven sources listed by them for 2n = 40 are all suspect: Clausen (1926, discussing V. arvensis and V. tricolor); Clausen (1927, discussing the genus in general); Clausen (1931, discussing subgenus Melanium, i.e., the V. tricolor group); Löve and Löve (1956b, treating the flora of Iceland where both 2n = 24 and 2n = 48 otherwise are documented); Sokolovskaya and Strelkova (1960 Kolguev, by these authors reported as 2n = 24 and as V. epipsila, obviously corrupted by the Löves); Sokolovskaya and Strelkova (1962, the same); and Sorsa (1965, who assigned the aberrant number from Finland to hybrids between V. epipsila and V. palustris, i.e., also corrupted by the Löves). The records of 2n = 40 therefore seem either to have been mentioned in passing (secondarily), refer to the frequent hybrids, refer to entirely different violets, or refer to otherwise correct counts 'adjusted' by the Löves to fit their opinion. No justification was given by the Löves for their assignment of the number of 2n = 40 to Ledebour's V. epipsila.
Geography: European - Asian (W): NOR? RUS.
Higher Taxa
- Viola epipsila [570111,species]