Floral structure and pollen morphology of two zinc violets (Viola lutea ssp. calaminaria and V. lutea ssp. westfalica) indicate their taxonomic affinity to Viola lutea

Abstract

Two zinc violets, the yellow form of the Aachen–Liège area and the blue morph of Blankenrode in western Westphalia, have very restricted occurrence on heavy metal waste heaps. Their taxonomic affinities have not been finally resolved. The flower micromorphological analysis presented here indicates that both zinc violets are closely related to the alpine Viola lutea, in line with our earlier published molecular data, but not with the conclusions of other authors. The zinc violets are classed at the rank of subspecies as V. lutea: ssp. calaminaria for the yellow zinc violet and ssp. westfalica for its blue counterpart. Although the violets examined (V. lutea, V. lutea ssp. calaminaria, V. lutea ssp. westfalica) are closely related, there is no evidence that V. lutea ssp. westfalica is a descendent of V. tricolor. Here we provide the most detailed information on generative organ structure in the four violets studied.