Contribution to the knowledge of the genus <i>Viola</i> in Croatia

The present work reports some interesting, rare and new taxa of the genus Viola L. for the Croatian flora. A fairly large population of an unknown Viola species was discovered in central Dalmatia and identified as Viola hymettia Boiss. et Heldr. This is a new species of the genus Viola in the flora of Croatia. From the taxonomic point of view it belongs to the somewhat difficult section Melanium Ging. and it can be easily mistaken for the similar but more widespread V. kitaibeliana Schult. Interestingly, V. hymettia was documented in Croatia nearly 20 years ago, but it was mistakenly identified as V. kitaibeliana . Beside the somewhat similar dwarf habitus, the two species differ very clearly in the floral structure. A description of V. hymettia and a comparison with the other taxa from the section Melanium recorded in Croatia are given. Also, an ambiguous and little-known taxon, Viola kitaibeliana Schult. f. violascens Trinajstić, recorded on the island of Lastovo, is presented and briefly discussed. Furthermore, for the first time Viola collina Besser is reported for Mt Žumberak, V. mirabilis L. for Mt Medvednica and V. rupestris F. W. Schmidtfor Mt Velebit. All of them are rare and poorly known species in the Croatian flora and they are probably often overlooked in field work.