Violets

I blogged about our system for listening to the sounds outside while we are inside. And for the past few days we've been hearing a Barred Owl calling in the middle of the day. While not unheard of it is unusual. And when it happened today, I went out to try to find it,

I was not successful.

But I found a little patch of violets.*

As far as I can tell these are Viola primulifolia.

Boyd, in his excellent Wildflowers of the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, treats this plant as a full species. But the USDA views this plant as a hybrid of lance-leaved violet, Viola lanceolata, and small white violet, Viola macloskeyi or Viola blanda.

Now we have Lance-leaved Violet in the yard. But Small White Violet is nowhere to be found.

And my friend and Uber Pinelands Plant Geek (yes, that is a thing) Russell stopped by today. And he noted that he's not seen Small White Violet anywhere in the vicinity of Lance-leaved Violet.

Which begs the question, how are they hybridizing?

Inquiring minds want to know.
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* I also took some pictures of Nuthatches ...