[The Violet Family East of the Cascade Mts.]
Round-leaf Violet

Viola orbiculata

This photo shows round-leaf violet from Misery Campground in the Umatilla N.F in southeastern Washington....................July 7, 2008. Note the flower at right which is an atypical light creamy yellow coloration.
Photo at right of round-leaf violet from Emigrant Springs State Park, Blue Mts. of Oregon......May 30, 1999.
Characteristics:

Round-leaved violet is a wildflower with a short rootstock and no stolons, from which individual leaves or flower stalks arise separately. The aerial stems measure no more than 5 cm long. The herbage is smooth-surfaced, lacking hairs. The leaves are ovate-cordate or orbicular, 2-4 cm wide, with rounded teeth on the leaf edges. The leaf tips are rounded rather than pointed as in other similar violets. The leaves are thin in cross-section, they lack any purple coloration that some other violets show, and they persist through the winter.

The flowers may be found above the leaves, at the same height as the leaves, or just barely above the leaves. The flowers are lemon-yellow to golden in color, with purple or brown penciling on the lower 3 petals. The backs of the upper petals are yellow.

Habitat:

Round-leaved violet may be found in moist, shady places in the forest from mid to high altitude.

Range:

Round-leaved violet may be found along both sides of the Cascades from British Columbia south to northern Oregon and east to Idaho and Montana.

Flower of Viola orbiculata ----- Flower of Viola orbiculata ----- Flower of Viola orbiculata

These 3 photos show close-ups of the flower of round-leaf violet as seen from Misery Campground in the Umatilla N.F in southeastern Washington....................July 7, 2008. Click each photo to see an enlarged view (2x).

Viola orbiculata

This photo shows another close-up view of round-leaf violet from Misery Campground in the Umatilla N.F in southeastern Washington....................July 7, 2008.

The photo above shows a close-up of the leaves and flower of round-leaved violet as seen along a small stream on the ridge between the Dry Creek and Cougar Creek drainages on the eastern slopes of Mt. Adams at about 4300'.............May 22, 2005.

Viola orbiculata

Round-leaf violet from near Table Mt, off Reecer Creek Road, Wenatchee N.F...........June 23, 1997.
Paul Slichter