Viola alba subsp. alba (Violaceae): a new record from the Kashmir Himalaya, India

Viola alba subsp. alba (Besser) is a new floral taxon of the Violaceae family from Srinagar, Kashmir Himalaya. Here is a description of this taxon. Based on morphological characteristics and comparative analysis with closely related Viola species, which are described, reported, and illustrated for the first time from this region. However, this species is often misrepresented, with Viola canescens Wall. Ex., Roxb., Viola pilosa Blume, Viola indica W. Becker., Viola suavis M. Bieb., and Viola odorata Linn. The new taxon is based on unique characteristics such as leaves that are ovate, cordate (2–6 × 2–4 cm), triangular, crenate and acuminate, stipule narrow lanceolate, fimbriate (0.2–3 mm long), flower whitish with spur being slightly curved with a purplish to violet-coloured base (2.3–4.7 mm long), and the position of the 2-bracteole is in the middle oppositely carved (0.2–0.34 mm long) The petiole is long (4–12 cm), hairy to glabrous, greenish, 2–4 white-coloured flowers with five sepals (2–5.4 × 1–3 mm); five petals (1–2.3 × 0.4–1.2 cm). The Viola alba is a temperate species and was first sighted or reported in a small area of the Kashmir University Botanical Garden (KUBG), Srinagar, Kashmir, J&K, India. The marked photo illustration is given below to examine the species with the deposed herbarium (KASH-6015) at Centre of Biodiversity and Taxonomy (CBT) and its proportional morphotypes with detailed morphological characteristics in comparison to its close-transmits.