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Exacum affine

(Persian Violet)

Common Names

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Click on the language to view common names.

Common Names in English:

German Violet, German-Violet, Persian Violet, Persian-Violet

Common Names in Portuguese (Brazil):

Violeta-Alemã, Violeta-Persa

Description

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Family Gentianaceae

Herbs [shrubs or small trees ], annual , biennial, or perennial . Stems ascending , erect , or twining . Leaves opposite, less often alternate or whorled , simple , base connate ; stipules absent. Inflorescences simple or complex cymes, sometimes reduced to sessile clusters , often in a thyrse or 1-flowered. Flowers bisexual , rarely unisexual , 4 or 5 (or 6-8) [-12]-merous. Calyx tubular , obconic, campanulate , or rotate, lobes joined at least basally. Corolla tubular, obconic, salverform , funnelform , campanulate, or rotate, rarely with basal spurs; lobes overlapping to right or rarely valvate in bud; plicae (extensions of the corolla tube between the lobes) present or absent. Stamens inserted on corolla tube or occasionally at sinus between corolla lobes, alternate with lobes; anthers basifixed or dorsifixed , 2-locular. Nectaries absent or attached to ovary base or corolla. Ovary usually 1-locular at least apically, rarely 2-locular due to intrusion of a lamellate placenta into locular cavity . Fruit a 2-valved capsule, rarely a berry. Seeds many or rarely few, small; endosperm abundant [scant in saprophytic genera].

About 80 genera and 700 species: worldwide; 20 genera and 419 species in China, of which two genera and 251 species are endemic.[1]

Genus Exacum

Annuals . Stems branched, glabrous . Leaves opposite. Cymes axillary or terminal , paniculate . Flowers 4- or 5-merous. Calyx lobed nearly to base . Corolla rotate, lobes longer than tube . Stamens inserted at throat of corolla tube just below sinus between corolla lobes; anthers cylindric , 2-locular, dehiscing by apical pores . Ovary 2-locular. Capsules 2-valved, many seeded. Seed coat warty.

About 40 species: tropical Africa, tropical and subtropical Asia, Madagascar; two species in China.[2]

Physical Description

Habit: Evergreen .

Flowers: Abundant fragrant tiny blossoms of purple or cream. • Bloom Period: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December. • Flower Color: blue-violet, lavender, near white, violet, white

Foliage: Summer foliage: Little pale green leaves.

Size/Age/Growth

Size: 6-12" tall.

Habitat

Ecology: Widely distributed, typically in turf by water or in rock crevices and hollows that capture water; on both granite and limestone. Altitude of sea-level to 1,050 m .

This is a rather variable species and in this treatment includes E. gracilipes an endemic described by Balfour. The type of E. gracilipes is a much more delicate plant than typical plants of E. affine. However, the difference in habit of these two specimens is comparable to that found within most populations of E. affine studied during recent visits to Soqotra and it is difficult to find other characters to justify maintaining the two species. E. socotranum is also rather similar to E. affine but the characters defining it are consistent within populations. Plants from Dhofar, the southern region of Oman, recorded as E. affine and E. gracilipes, have recently been shown to represent two separate, species endemic to Oman. Exacum affine is now considered to be endemic to Soqotra and Samha. Exacum affine is widely cultivated as a house plant in Europe under various names including the Arabian, Persian or Socotran Violet. All seed in the horticultural trade originated from collections made by Schweinfurth during his expedition to Soqotra in 1881.[3]


List of Habitats :6Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs , mountain peaks)

Biology

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Growth

Culture: Space 6-9" apart.

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Likes bright light, dislikes direct sun.

Moisture: Water Requirements: Keep soil evenly moist.

Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11. (map)

Taxonomy

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Notes

Publishing author : Balf.f. Publication : Gartenflora (1883) 34. t. 1108.An accepted name in the RHS Horticultural Database.

Place of publication: Gartenflora 32:34, t. 1108. 1883

Name verified on 20-May-1992 by ARS Systematic Botanists. Last updated: 19-May-1997

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Exacum

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 120 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

E. acanthum · E. affine (Persian Violet) · E. affine 'Rex 22' · E. affine 'Rex 23' · E. affine 'Rex 24' · E. affine 'Rococo' · E. alatum · E. albens · E. amplexicaule · E. anisopterum · E. aphyllum · E. appendiculatum · E. arenarium · E. atropurpureum · E. aureum · E. axillare · E. bellum · E. bicolor · E. 'Blue Princess' · E. bulbilliferum · E. caeruleum · E. candollei · E. carinatum · E. chilense · E. concinnum · E. conglomeratum · E. connatum · E. cordatum · E. courtallense · E. decapterum · E. dichotomum · E. diffusum · E. dipterum · E. divaricatum · E. dolichantherum · E. emirnense · E. erectum · E. erubescens · E. exiguum · E. filiforme · E. foliosum · E. forbesii · E. fruticosum · E. 'Fuji White' · E. giganteum · E. gracile · E. gracilipes · E. grande · E. guianense · E. hamiltonii · E. heteroclitum · E. hoffmannii · E. humbertii · E. humile · E. hyssopifolium · E. inflatum · E. intermedium · E. latifolium · E. lawii · E. linearifolium · E. lokohense · E. macrantherum · E. macranthum · E. marojejyense · E. microcarpum · E. millotii · E. naviculare · E. nossibeense · E. nummularifolium · E. oldenlandioides · E. ovatum · E. pallidum · E. pedunculatum · E. penninerve · E. perfoliatum · E. perrottetii · E. perrottetti · E. petiolare · E. pteranthum · E. pulchellum · E. pumilum · E. purpureum · E. pusillum · E. quinquenervium · E. racemosum · E. radicans · E. ramosum · E. rotundifolium · E. 'Royal Dane' · E. sessile · E. socotranum · E. spathulatum · E. speciosum · E. spicatum · E. stenophyllum · E. stenopterum · E. subacaule · E. subteres · E. subverticillatum · E. sulcatum

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. Ting-nung Ho & James S. Pringle "Gentianaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 16 Page 1. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  2. "Exacum". in Flora of China Vol. 16 Page 2. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  3. Miller, A. 2004. In IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCNRedList.org. Downloaded July 19, 2008. [back]
Last Revised: 7/2/2009