Viola tomentosa
Viola orbiculata
felt-leaf violet, woolly or felt-leaf or feltleaf violet, woolly violet
darkwoods violet, evergreen yellow violet, round-leaf or round-leaf wood or western round-leaf or evergreen violet, round-leaf violet, violette orbiculaire
1–3(–5), prostrate or decumbent to erect, leafy proximally and distally, densely white-tomentose, from usually vertical, subligneous rhizome.
1–5, prostrate or erect, leafy proximally and distally, usually glabrous, from current and/or previous year’s growth, on usually vertical, fleshy rhizome.
basal and cauline;
basal: 1–6;
stipules linear to broadly ovate-oblong, margins entire, sometimes with scattered glandular hairs, apex acute to obtuse;
petiole 2–6 cm, densely white-tomentose;
blade ± oblanceolate to elliptic, 1.5–5 × 1.4–2.1 cm, base attenuate, usually oblique, margins usually entire, rarely crenate distally, ciliate, apex acute to usually obtuse, mucronulate, surfaces densely white-tomentose abaxially, strigose adaxially;
cauline similar to basal except: stipules ovate, lanceolate, oblanceolate, or oblong, margins entire or toothed, densely ciliate with white hairs;
petiole 1.5–3.5 cm;
blade 1.8–4 × 0.6–1.1 cm.
basal and cauline;
basal: 3–11;
stipules deltate to lanceolate, margins entire, apex acute to acuminate;
petiole 2.1–10.5 cm, glabrous or pubescent;
blade usually orbiculate to broadly ovate, sometimes reniform, 1.4–5.3 × 1.4–5.3 cm, base cordate, margins crenate to serrulate-crenulate, eciliate or sparingly ciliate, apex usually obtuse, rarely acute, abaxial surface usually glabrous, adaxial surface sparsely pubescent;
cauline similar to basal except: stipules lanceolate to ovate, margins usually entire, ciliate;
petiole 0.7–1 cm, glabrous or pubescent;
blade 1.2–2 × 1.1–1.4 cm.
1–4 cm, densely white-tomentose.
2.7–5.6 cm, glabrous.
sepals lanceolate, margins ciliate-tomentose, auricles 0.5–1 mm;
petals deep lemon-yellow adaxially, upper 2 often brownish purple abaxially, lower 3 dark brown- to brownish purple-veined, lateral 2 bearded, lowest 6–11 mm, spur yellow, gibbous, 0.5–1.5 mm;
style head bearded; cleistogamous flowers absent.
sepals narrow to broadly lanceolate, margins eciliate, auricles 0.5–1.5 mm;
upper 2 and lateral 2 petals deep lemon-yellow on both surfaces, lower 3 and sometimes upper 2 brownish purple-veined, lateral 2 usually bearded, lowest 8–17 mm, spur usually yellow, sometimes whitish, gibbous, 1.5–2.5 mm;
style head bearded; cleistogamous flowers axillary.
± spherical, 4–5 mm, densely white-tomentose.
ellipsoid, 6–8 mm, glabrous.
brown with lighter brown mottling, 2.5–2.8 mm.
light to dark brown, sometimes mottled with white, 2–2.3 mm.
= 12.
= 24.
Viola tomentosa
Viola orbiculata
Viola tomentosa occurs in El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, and Sierra counties. M. S. Baker (1949) reported that nearly every leaf axil of V. tomentosa produces a flower bud and that these buds produce chasmogamous flowers late in season instead of cleistogamous flowers, as do other members of the V. nuttallii complex.
Viola tomentosa hybridizes with V. purpurea; the hybrids appeared sterile (M. S. Baker 1949). J. Clausen (1964) reported a putative hybrid between V. tomentosa and V. sheltonii from one location in Sierra County.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
During winter, the basal leaves of Viola orbiculata are appressed to the ground under the weight of snow. The leaves overwinter and are often partly or entirely green after the snow has melted. Mature plants possess 3–11 basal leaves, some derived from previous years and others from the current year’s growth. Occasional plants are found with short, thin stems rooted at the tip and producing a rosette of leaves and stems, showing the close relationship with V. sempervirens.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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