Charles,

My first thought was that this is a typo for Viola sepincola. The epithet sepincola has been used variously, eg. as a subspecies if Viola suavis and as a hybrid (V. X sepincola), namely that of V. hirta X odorata; that is as well as its original use by Jordan as a species. Most likely currently it is subsumed into V. suavis.

But I guess it would not be unlikely for a violet from the Caucasus neck of the woods to be steppe-loving (steppicola) - its range might spread out onto the steppes. But I cannot find mention of a Viola steppicola species. However, Michael Hassler in Germany kindly sent me a list, including names in Index Kewensis, and that includes a violet with a common name which translates to Steppe violet, and it has the right distribution. It is given the name Viola ambigua Waldst. & Kit. 1804, and synonymized with Vv. campestris Bieb., ganderi Hausm. ex Nym., revoluta Heuff. ex Reichb., suaveolens Perrier & Songeon.

However, there has to be a chance Viola steppicola is a genuine species; new ones do get published from time to time (like V. maymanica in nearby Afghanistan in the 1980's).

I hope you manage to grow it, Charles. It would be nice, in a way, if it did not match the description for V. ambigua; it would be interesting if it turned out to truly be this hitherto very under-documented species Viola steppicola... Best of luck, and keep us posted!!

Mike

Howdy all,

Well as luck would have it I found the author of the name Viola steppicola!! It was only ever a manuscript name and the plant was later found to be V. sintenisii W.Becker. Thanks to Thomas Marcussen who did his PhD thesis on Viola!!! The only problem now is to find out what Viola sintenisii looks like and needs for good growth!

Cheers

Charles

Good update Charles!

Aha! I have V.alba ssp. sintenisii as a synonym of V. sintenisii - so that should give a fair idea what it looks like and how to grow it.

Becker's diagnosis of V. sintenisii is in Mitteil. Thuring. Bot. Ver.24: 1 (1909). That might add some detail - depending on how your Latin and German are (I suspect you, like Gerd and Heinz, may have an advantage over some of us regarding the German).