Viola cryana
Encyclopedia
Viola cryana, the Cry Violet, also known as Cry Pansy, is an extinct plant species from the violet
genus Viola
which was endemic to the French Department Yonne
. Vioala cryana was discovered in 1860 but first described in 1878.
or perennial
herb
was not higher than 12 cm and had a glabrous stem. The light green leaves
were thick and fleshy. The stipule
was cut and had an entire central lobe
. The relatively large flowers were zygomorphic. The petal
s were light violet. The spur
was with six to seven millimetres larger than the calyx
. The flowering period was from May to June.
outcrop
s in the region of Cry
southeast of Tonnerre
in the French department Yonne. Due to the habitat destruction because of the limestone quarrying and due to overexploitation
by plant collectors it was thought to be extinct in the wild by 1930. This plant might have survived in cultivation until 1950.
Violet (plant)
Viola is a genus of flowering plants in the violet family Violaceae, with around 400–500 species distributed around the world. Most species are found in the temperate Northern Hemisphere; however, viola species are also found in widely divergent areas such as Hawaii, Australasia, and the Andes in...
genus Viola
Violet (plant)
Viola is a genus of flowering plants in the violet family Violaceae, with around 400–500 species distributed around the world. Most species are found in the temperate Northern Hemisphere; however, viola species are also found in widely divergent areas such as Hawaii, Australasia, and the Andes in...
which was endemic to the French Department Yonne
Yonne
Yonne is a French department named after the Yonne River. It is one of the four constituent departments of Burgundy in eastern France and its prefecture is Auxerre. Its official number is 89....
. Vioala cryana was discovered in 1860 but first described in 1878.
Description
This biennialBiennial plant
A biennial plant is a flowering plant that takes two years to complete its biological lifecycle. In the first year the plant grows leaves, stems, and roots , then it enters a period of dormancy over the colder months. Usually the stem remains very short and the leaves are low to the ground, forming...
or perennial
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
herb
Herbaceous plant
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
was not higher than 12 cm and had a glabrous stem. The light green leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
were thick and fleshy. The stipule
Stipule
In botany, stipule is a term coined by Linnaeus which refers to outgrowths borne on either side of the base of a leafstalk...
was cut and had an entire central lobe
Lobe (anatomy)
In anatomy, a lobe is a clear anatomical division or extension that can be determined without the use of a microscope This is in contrast to a lobule, which is a clear division only visible histologically....
. The relatively large flowers were zygomorphic. The petal
Petal
Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...
s were light violet. The spur
Spur (biology)
A spur in botany is a spike, usually part of a flower.In certain plants, part of a sepal or petal develops into an elongated hollow spike extending behind the flower, containing nectar which is sucked by long-tongued animals . Plants with such structures include Delphinium, Aquilegia, Piperia, and...
was with six to seven millimetres larger than the calyx
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
. The flowering period was from May to June.
Extinction
The Cry Violet occurred in strongly restricted limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
outcrop
Outcrop
An outcrop is a visible exposure of bedrock or ancient superficial deposits on the surface of the Earth. -Features:Outcrops do not cover the majority of the Earth's land surface because in most places the bedrock or superficial deposits are covered by a mantle of soil and vegetation and cannot be...
s in the region of Cry
Cry, Yonne
Cry is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France.-Demography:Its current population is about 170....
southeast of Tonnerre
Tonnerre
Tonnerre is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France.-Twin town:* Nenagh, North Tipperary, Ireland-References:*...
in the French department Yonne. Due to the habitat destruction because of the limestone quarrying and due to overexploitation
Overexploitation
Overexploitation, also called overharvesting, refers to harvesting a renewable resource to the point of diminishing returns. Sustained overexploitation can lead to the destruction of the resource...
by plant collectors it was thought to be extinct in the wild by 1930. This plant might have survived in cultivation until 1950.