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pioneer violet, stream violet

Howell's violet

Habit Puberulent perennial from widely spreading, scaly, fleshy rhizomes, the flowering stems 5-30 cm. tall, leafless the lower two-thirds. Sparsely pubescent perennial from scaly rhizomes, 2-10 cm. tall.
Leaves

Leaf blades ovate-cordate to reniform, abruptly pointed, the basal leaves with petioles 10-20 cm. long;

stipules membranous, ovate to obovate, 5-10 mm. long, entire.

Leaf blades cordate to reniform-cordate, with coarse, rounded teeth, the petioles of the many basal leaves 10-15 cm. long;

stipules 3-10 mm. long, prominently toothed.

Flowers

Flowers 8-14 mm. long, borne chiefly on the upper part of the stem, on peduncles about as long as the leaves;

spur very short;

petals clear yellow, the lower 3 with purple penciling, the lateral pair well bearded;

style head copiously bearded.

Flowers 1.5-2 cm. long, the spur very prominent, saccate;

sepals obtuse, auriculate at the base;

petals bluish-violet to nearly white, strongly veined with purple, the lateral pair long-bearded;

style sparsely bearded.

Fruits

Fruit a 3-valved capsule, ovary superior, placentation parietal, seeds brown.

Fruit a 3-valved capsule, ovary superior, placentation parietal, seeds light brown.

Viola glabella

Viola howellii

Flowering time March-July April-May
Habitat Moist woods and stream banks, low to middle elevations in the mountains. Moist woods and prairies at low to moderate elevations.
Distribution
Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to Alberta and Montana.
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Occurring west of the Cascades crest and in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington; southwestern British Columbia to California.
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Origin Native Native
Conservation status Not of concern Not of concern
Sibling taxa
V. adunca, V. arvensis, V. canadensis, V. flettii, V. howellii, V. lanceolata, V. langsdorffii, V. macloskeyi, V. nephrophylla, V. nuttallii, V. odorata, V. orbiculata, V. palustris, V. pluviae, V. purpurea, V. renifolia, V. riviniana, V. selkirkii, V. sempervirens, V. sheltonii, V. sororia, V. tricolor, V. trinervata, V. ×wittrockiana
V. adunca, V. arvensis, V. canadensis, V. flettii, V. glabella, V. lanceolata, V. langsdorffii, V. macloskeyi, V. nephrophylla, V. nuttallii, V. odorata, V. orbiculata, V. palustris, V. pluviae, V. purpurea, V. renifolia, V. riviniana, V. selkirkii, V. sempervirens, V. sheltonii, V. sororia, V. tricolor, V. trinervata, V. ×wittrockiana
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