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.
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.
Sweet white violet may be found on moist to boggy ground in the mountains. This includes bogs, wet meadows and streambanks.
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.
