[The Violet Family in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Darkwoods Violet, Evergreen Yellow Violet, Round-leaf Violet, Round-leaved Violet

Viola orbiculata

Synonyms: Viola sempervirens var. orbiculata, Viola sempervirens var. orbiculoides

Darkwoods Violet, Evergreen Yellow Violet, Round-leaf Violet, Round-leaved Violet: Viola orbiculata (Synonyms: Viola sempervirens var. orbiculata, Viola sempervirens var. orbiculoides)

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 at the southeastern corner of Mt. Adams at about 4300'.............May 22, 2005.

The rounded leaf of Darkwoods Violet, Evergreen Yellow Violet, Round-leaf Violet, Round-leaved Violet: Viola orbiculata (Synonyms: Viola sempervirens var. orbiculata, Viola sempervirens var. orbiculoides)The photo above shows the dorsal or upper surface of the leaf of round-leaved violet as seen along a small stream on the ridge between the Dry Creek and Cougar Creek drainages at the southeastern corner of Mt. Adams at about 4300'..........May 29, 2005. The lower leaf surface is green, lacking the purplish spots that might be found on the lower leaf surface of evergreen violet (Viola sempervirens).

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.

In the Columbia River Gorge, it may be found between the elevations of 2400'-4600' Multnomah Falls to near Dog Mt.


Darkwoods Violet, Evergreen Yellow Violet, Round-leaf Violet, Round-leaved Violet: Viola orbiculata (Synonyms: Viola sempervirens var. orbiculata, Viola sempervirens var. orbiculoides)

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 at the southeastern corner of Mt. Adams at about 4300'.........May 22, 2005.

Paul Slichter