Goosefoot Violet, Goosefoot Yellow Violet, Mountain Violet, Purplish Violet
Viola purpurea
Subspecies integrifolia, purpurea and venosa are found from the eastern Cascade Mountain foothills east to the Idaho border in Oregon and Washington (the former two occur only in Oregon)
Synonyms: Ssp. integrifolia - none; Ssp. purpurea - Viola purpurea ssp. dimorpha; Ssp. venosa- Viola purpurea ssp. geophyta, Viola purpurea var. venosa
The photo above shows a close-up view of the flowers and leaves of goosefoot violet as seen at the Ray Ridge Viewpoint in the Umatilla National Forest of southeastern Washington.........June 25, 2007.
The photo above shows a close-up, lateral view of goosefoot violet as seen along Rd K3000 below Bird Creek Camp at the southeastern corner of Mt. Adams........May 7, 2005. Note the rusty venation on the outer surfaces of the upper and lateral petals.
Characteristics:
Goosefoot violet is an erect, deciduous wildflower from 5-15
cm tall with leafy stems arising from a shallow, scaly rhizome. The herbage
is minute hairy, often blue-green on the upper leaf surfaces and purplish or
purple-veined on the lower surfaces. The leaf blades are thick, fleshy,m from
1-3 cm long, ovate to orbicular in shape with rounded teeth or more deeply incised.
The petioles range from 2-6 cm long. The flowers are yellow with brown penciling
on the lower 3 petals. The flowers range from 5-12 mm long, which includes a
short spur.
Habitat:
Goosefoot violet may be found in a variety of dry, open sites,
from roadsides, prairie, sagebrush, and open ponderosa pine forests.
Range:
Goosefoot violet may be found east of the Cascade Mts. from
Chelan County, WA south to California and east to Montana, Wyoming, Colorado,
and Arizona.
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Goosefoot beginning to bloom on rock outcrops just uphill to the north of Jackman Park Campground, Steens Mountain, southeastern Oregon.........June 2, 2012. For phenology, this was only the second day that the north loop road was open in 2012.
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The photo above left shows a close-up of the flowers and leaves of goosefoot violet as seen along the Hells Canyon Rim Road in Hells Canyon NRA.........June 28, 2008. The photo at right shows goosefoot violet as seen atop Hager Mountain, Fremont National Forest.........May 19, 2016.
Goosefoot violet blooming on vernally moist soils along Forest Road 3800-200 at the eastern base of Spanish Peak, Ochoco National Forest.....June 17, 2019.
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Goosefoot violet as seen (left) on Wedge Mountain, Wenatchee National Forest.........June 8, 2009. The photo at right shows goosefoot violet as seen atop Lookout Mountain, Ochoco National Forest........May 29, 2016.
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Goosefoot violet as seen (left) along FS Rd 1648 at the east side of Logan Valley, Malheur National Forest........June 3, 2011. The photo at right shows goosefoot violet along the Line Butte Trail #807 on the south slopes of Lookout Mountain, Ochoco National Forest........June 22, 2017.
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Goosefoot violet still blooming (left) on scree slopes along the High Lake Trail near a pass to the northeast of High Lake, Strawberry Mountain Wilderness...........July 17, 2013. The photo at right shows goosefoot violet abloom on balds along Forest Road 2630 about half a mile uphill to the northwest of Scotts Campground, Ochoco National Forest..........May 10, 2017.
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Goosefoot violet blooming on steep scree slopes about one-quarter mile down along the trail down to Wildhorse Lake from the beginning of the steep descent, Steens Mountain, Harney County, Oregon.........July 10, 2014.
Goosefoot violet blooming along the Skyline Trail at the east end of the Strawberry Mountains, central Oregon..........May 8, 2014.
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The photo at left shows goosefoot violet blooming along the North Fork Crooked River Trail #1905 north of Boot Creek, Eagle Cap Wilderness.......June 12, 2018. The photo at right shows goosefoot violet in bloom on north-facing slopes below the lookout at Bald Butte which is about 10 miles north of the Gearhart Mountain Wilderness......June 19, 2020.
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Goosefoot violet blooming on Lookout Mountain, Ochoco National Forest.......May 26, 2018.
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Goosefoot violets still blooming along the Fremont National Recreation Trail #160 at balds with late-melting snow on the southeast shoulder of Crook Peak, Fremont-Winema National Forest......July 17, 2022.
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Goosefoot violets observed in bloom along the Roads End Trail #201 between the trailhead and junction with the Onion Creek Trail, Malheur National Forest and Strawberry Mountain Wilderness.....July 7, 2023.
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Goosefoot violets spotted along the Fremont National Recreation Trail #160 southwest shoulder of Twelvemile Peak, Fremont-Winema National Forest......July 16, 2022.
Viola purpurea from Cabin Lake C.G., Deschutes N.F......May 25, 1996.
The photo above shows a close-up of the basal leaf of goosefoot violet as seen on the southeast side of Mt. Adams along road K3000 (~elevation of 2980')..........May 7, 2005.
Paul Slichter