Can anyone help me identify this plant? First seen 14 Mar 2012 on the shoulder of the Hamilton-Brantford Rail Trail. [/ATTACH] Seen again on the shoulder of the Bruce Trail eastbound from Wentworth St. in Hamilton Thanks! Claerchen7
Thanks for your help, Ron. I had never seen Herb Robert with the extensive red colouration and I had not previously identified it before flowering. Philosophically, I would debate your designation of it as a pest, however, since both Peterson and Audubon designate it as a native species, and it is not listed in Royer & Dickinson Weeds of Canada and the Northern United States. :) I have been "wildflowering" for over 30 years and have only identified it a handful of times in this area. Perhaps it is much more prolific in the Pacific NorthWest?
Oh, that is curious. USDA GRIN database says exotic in all of its North American range, USDA PLANTS database says native through much of its North American range. Listed as a noxious weed in Washington state, but a listed (threatened / endangered species) in 3 eastern states. Flora of China does not recognize it as being native to North America. There's a bit of a botanical mystery there...
I don't know about the listed as (threatened / endangered species) in 3 eastern states, but USDA PLANTS maps native and naturalized species.
Also known as Stinky Bob due to its odor. Sometimes a native flower growing in your lawn (Viola adunca for example) is an invasive weed. At least to some. I had customers that wanted to make sure that I knew that they weren't to be pulled, sprayed or otherwise eradicated. Always made me happy to hear that as I tried to steer clear of the chemical controls if I could.
I have seen Viola riviniana misidentified as V. adunca here. Internet photos also make me wonder if everyone is talking about the true V. adunca.
When I first identified Viola adunca 40 or so years ago here in Spokane I was using a then outdated Flora (St. John's Flora of Southeastern Washington and Adjacent Idaho) V. riviniana or V labradorica with which there seems to be some confusion about, at least in the commercial trade, were nowhere to be found. Not that they might not have been present or that I misidentified them. I don't know the history of the two plants so I don't know when V. riviniana was introduced to be able to know whether they were even present in WA back then. Either in the 50's when St. John wrote his book or in the 80's when I identified it. All this is to say that I could very well be mistaken as to my original ID. The plants I am familiar with here in Spokane though strongly resemble V. adunca, as I have had close personal contact with them pulling them periodically from my lawn. I'll take a closer look this year and see if i have been wrong, all those years. That in itself is not unusual in my life. My errors great and small in taxonomy (many in this very forum) are too numerous to mention. :) Harry
The current horticultural use of the name Viola labradorica is a mistake for V. riviniana 'Purpurea' and always has been a mistake. The true V. labradorica is a tiny thing from the Far North perhaps not in cultivation at this latitude, if anywhere. Although multiple mentions of this are present on the internet growers continue to use the erroneous name.