[The Violet Family East of the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]

Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet

Viola adunca

Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis

Flower of Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis)

The photo above shows a close-up of the flower of long-spurred violet. Note the long, spreading, whitish hairs at the base of each lateral petal. Photographed along Road #4670 at Billy Meadows Guard Station in the northern Wallowa-Whitman N.F........June 26, 2008.
The photo at right shows long-spurred violet as seen in grasslands found along Hog Lake, to the east of Sprague, WA.........April 29, 2006.
Characteristics:

Long-spurred violet is a perennial with short to long, slender rhizomes from which the stems arise. The stems are leafy, short at first, but elongating as the season progresses to 10 cm. The herbage may be smooth to densely short-hairy. The leaf blades are 1-3 cm long, usually ovate cordate in shape, but may also be ovate-lanceolate to kidney-shaped with the tip tapering to a rounded point. The leaf surface may be brown-dotted and the margins have rounded teeth or may be entire. The leaf petioles are often longer than the blades, and range from 5-8 cm long.

The flowers range from 5-15 mm long with a long spur, slightly hooked at the end, which is slightly more than half the length of the lower petal. The 5 petals are blue to deep violet in color, with the lower 3 having a white base with purple-violet pencil marks in the throat.

Habitat:

Long-spurred may be found in dry to moist meadows, open woods, and open ground from near sea level to near timberline.

Range:

Long-spurred violet is a widespread species, being found over much of western North America and extending eastward to the Atlantic coast.

Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis) - Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis)

Close-up sideview of the flower of Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis) - Close-up frontal view of the flower of Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis)

Additional close-ups of a blue-flowered form of long-spurred violet as seen along the valley trail about one-half mile northwest of the Painted Rocks trailhead, Little Spokane River Natural Area.........May 12, 2011.

Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis) - Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis) - Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis)

Long-spurred violet as seen along a small creek at the base of the Brennan Palisades, Ochoco National Forest........May 21, 2017.

Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis) - Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis)

Long-spurred violet as seen at left along the Maxwell Lake Trail, Eagle Cap Wilderness.........August 3, 2016. The photo at right shows long-spurred violets along the Ponderosa Loop Trail near the Ochoco Divide, Ochoco National Forest.......May 19, 2018.

Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis) - Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis)

Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis) - Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis) - Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis)

Long-spurred violet blooming under shrubbery along the Stubblefield Trail about one mile northwest of Stubblefield Lake, Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge......May 8, 2019.
Flower of Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis)
The photo above shows long-spurred violet as seen in grasslands found along Hog Lake, to the east of Sprague, WA.........April 29, 2006.

Leaf of Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis)

The photo above shows a leaf of long-spurred violet as seen in grasslands found along Hog Lake, to the east of Sprague, WA.........April 29, 2006.

Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis) - Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis)

Long-spurred violet in bloom along the Hanan Trail #142 several miles below the headwaters, Fremont-Winema National Forest.......June 17, 2020.

Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis) - Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis) - Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis)

Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis) - Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis)

What appears to be long-spurred violet as seen at Silver Creek Marsh Campground, Fremont-Winema National Forest.........April 30, 2017.

Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis) - Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis)

Long-spurred violet observed along the Skyline Trail #385 about half a mile uphill to the west of High Lake, Strawberry Mountain Wilderness......July 8, 2023.
Paul Slichter