Viola pilosa (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia
Introduction

Protologue: Cat. Gew. Buitenzorg: 57 (1823).

Synonyms

From India to Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, China, Sumatra, Java, Lesser Sunda Islands (Bali, Timor), Sulawesi and the Moluccas.

The aerial parts, especially the flowers, are generally taken as a diuretic and expectorant. Most uses are identical to those of V. odorata .

A variable perennial, hairy, rarely glabrous herb, rhizome vertical to diagonal, 1.5-4 mm in diameter, with leaves and rooting stems at apex, stems horizontal, up to 1 m long, slender.
Leaves ovate, 1-10 cm × 1-6.5 cm, 1-2 times longer than broad, base deeply cordate, apex acute to acuminate, margins serrate to serrate-crenate, pubescent to hirsute, especially on veins, pale green, petiole 1-17 cm long, pilose especially distally, stipules lanceolate, 7-30 mm long, long-fimbriate, pubescent.
Flowers (5-)8-14 mm in diameter, purple to white with darker veins, peduncle 4-12 cm long, pilose, especially distally, sepals linear-lanceolate, 3.5-9 mm long, apex acute, entire to denticulate, pilose, appendage 0.8-2.5 mm long, pointed or denticulate, pilose, petals 1.5-4 times longer than broad, basal petal obovate, lateral petals oblanceolate, bearded, upper pair usually slightly bearded, spur cylindrical, 1-2.5 mm long, obtuse, style 1.5-3 mm long, filiform, apex slightly to strongly curved, stigma emarginate.
Capsule ellipsoid, 5-10 mm long, glabrous or pubescent in centre of valves, without mechanism for explosive seed dispersal.
Seed with large elaiosome.

V. pilosa occurs in grasslands, alpine woods and along paths, from 1100-3300 m altitude.

Burkill, I.H., 1966. A dictionary of the economic products of the Malay Peninsula. Revised reprint. 2 volumes. Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol. 1 (A-H) pp. 1-1240, Vol. 2 (I-Z) pp. 1241-2444.

754.

G.H. Schmelzer & S.F.A.J. Horsten