Small White Violet, Sweet White Violet
Viola macloskeyi
Synonyms: Viola macloskeyi ssp. macloskeyi, Viola macloskeyi ssp. pallens, Viola macloskeyi var. macloskeyi, Viola macloskeyi var. pallens
The photo above shows sweet white violet as seen at Point Perception
at the western edge of the Eagle Cap Wilderness........June 28, 2004.
The
photo at right shows a close-up of the flower of sweet white violet as seen at
Point Perception at the western edge of the Eagle Cap Wilderness.........June
28, 2004.
Characteristics:
Sweet white violet is a beautiful, petite perennial
wildflower from 3-6 cm high that lacks aerial flowering stems. The membranous
stipules are glandular-toothed and lanceolate in shape. The petioles are 2-4
cm long while the leaf blades are orbicular or kidney-shaped with a heart-shaped
base and slightly scalloped margins. The blades typically measure 1-3 cm long.
The white (and somewhat translucent) flowers are
usually held above the leaves on short peduncles and measure from 5-10 mm long
with a fairly prominent spur. The 3 lower petals are purple-penciled and the
lateral petals have some yellowish hairs at the mouth of the flower.
Habitat:
Sweet white violet may be found on moist to boggy
ground in the mountains. This includes bogs, wet meadows and streambanks.
Range:
Sweet white violet may be found in the mountains
across much of North America. In the Pacific Northwest, they may be found in
the Cascade Mts. from British Columbia south to California and in the Wallowa
Mts. of northeastern Oregon.
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Close-ups of what appears to be small white violet as seen at Jubilee Lake, Umatilla National Forest...........June 29, 2012. At first, I thought this might be Viola palustris, but the flowers are small and the backs of the petals are pure white (with dark stripes) instead of white with purplish spotting. I'd probably want to see plants a little bit later in the season to verify this identity.
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Small white violet as seen along stream crossings of the McCully Creek Trail #1812 about a mile north of the McCully Creek crossing, Eagle Cap Wilderness......July 19, 2019.
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Small white violet observed in the wet meadow around High Lake, Strawberry Mountain Wilderness......July 8, 2023.
The photo above shows a close-up side view of the flower of sweet
white violet as seen at Point Perception at the western edge of the Eagle Cap
Wilderness...........June 28, 2004.
The photo above shows the rounded leaf of sweet white violet.
Paul Slichter