Unknown plant seen in Australia

[Maggi Young]

This plant, photographed  by Harvey K. of the Hampshire AGS Gang, was initially thought to be a Pinguicola, but it is  lacking a basal rosette. I think it's some sort of viola. It was  photographed " in the Grampian Mountains in Victoria, Australia . Close to the McKenzie river, in slightly damp but not wet sandy ground, somewhat shaded. Only two patches of it seen, not very common. Flower maybe 12-15mm across. The colour is accurate.
V. banksii is not supposed to occur that far west, and the colour is less intense in the photographs of it - but it is cultivated, so there could be selected forms. Long way from any gardens etc. There are not a lot of violas in Australia it seems."

Can the viola lovers here help?

[Roma]

Viola hederacea.  Just bought it in Dobbies a few weeks ago.  I used to grow it at the Cruickshank Garden.. It is stoloniferous and makes a good plant for a hanging basket.  It is not hardy and is very susceptible to red spider mite. 

[Gerdk]

Viola hederacea.  Just bought it in Dobbies a few weeks ago.  I used to grow it at the Cruickshank Garden.. It is stoloniferous and makes a good plant for a hanging basket.  It is not hardy and is very susceptible to red spider mite. 

- Yes, the same from me / see link (I hope it will work)!

http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/277565/Advisory-List-of-Rare-or-Threatened-Plants-in-Victoria-2014.pdf

Species found there:
Viola betonicifolia subsp. novaguineensis Floodplain Violet
Viola caleyana Swamp Violet
Viola fuscoviolacea Dusky Violet
Viola fuscoviolacea X sp. aff. hederacea
Viola hederacea subsp. nov. (Baw Baws)
Viola improcera Dwarf
Viola seppeltiana

Gerd

[Maggi Young]

Thanks Roma and  Gerd - I knew you'd know! 

[Jupiter]

Viola haderacea is a very commonly used garden plant in Australia and is referred to widely as Native violet. It can become weedy with a bit of water; in my woodland garden it is a bit of a pest but lovely too so I tolerate it. The other species of Viola Gerd listed as much more unlikely as they are rarely seen outside of their native range, but betonicifolia turns up in nurseries and I've grown it before; it has a lain violet coloured flower much like the ones you Northerners would recognise.

[Karaba]

The Viola photographed by Harvey K. is certainly Viola hederacea. This species is well know in the Grampians National Park : http://data.rbg.vic.gov.au/vicflora/flora/taxon/c419789b-5659-4a05-891e-735053c34881#tab-classification and http://biocache.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Viola+hederacea&fq=data_resource_uid:dr1097

But the Viola bought by Roma and the one growing in Jupiter's woodland may be Viola banksii, distinguished from hederacea in 2004 by Thiele, K & Prober, S (2004). I can't find this paper but there is a summary on wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_banksii or here : http://anpsa.org.au/v-ban.html

(In fact, it looks quite difficult for me to get the distribution of Viola hederacea sensu Thiele & Prober from the Atlas of Living Australia, it seems that a lot of data of this species are still covering old species including Viola banksii)

[Jupiter]

Very interesting Karaba. I had a look and I'm sure you're right. It seems Viola hederacea has been applied incorrectly to V. banksii widely. I never knew.

[Roma]

Found a picture of my Viola taken in July just after I bought it.   It does not look so good now after a red spider mite attack and being outside for a while. 

[Véronique Macrelle]

a little article on Australian Viola with photos. if that can help differentiate these Viola
https://www.lfwseq.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Land-for-Wildlife-Newsletter-April-2014.pdf