[Violets: The Genus Viola West of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Early Blue Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet

Viola adunca

Synonynms: Viola adunca ssp. adunca, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis

Flower of Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis) - Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis)

Long-spurred violet as seen at left atop Saddle Mountain in the Coast Range of northwestern Oregon........May 21, 2009. The photo at right shows long-spurred violet blooming in a cleared area in one of the meadows atop Mount Hebo, Siuslaw National Forest......June 2, 2021.
Characteristics:

Long-spurred violet is a perennial with short to long, slender rhizomes from which the stems arise. The stems are leafy, short at first, but elongating as the season progresses to 10 cm. The herbage may be smooth to densely short-hairy. The leaf blades are 1-3 cm long, usually ovate cordate in shape, but may also be ovate-lanceolate to kidney-shaped with the tip tapering to a rounded point. The leaf surface may be brown-dotted and the margins have rounded teeth or may be entire. The leaf petioles are often longer than the blades, and range from 5-8 cm long.

The flowers range from 5-15 mm long with a long spur, slightly hooked at the end, which is slightly more than half the length of the lower petal. The 5 petals are blue to deep violet in color, with the lower 3 having a white base with purple-violet pencil marks in the throat.

Habitat:

Long-spurred may be found in dry to moist meadows, open woods, and open ground from near sea level to near timberline.

Range:

Long-spurred violet is a widespread species, being found over much of western North America and extending eastward to the Atlantic coast.

Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis) - Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis) - Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis)

Long-spurred violet as seen on rock outcrops just northeast of the trailhead at Obstruction Point, Olympic National Park.......July 25, 2014.

Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis) - Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis) - Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis)

Long-spurred violet observed in meadows at Sitka Sedge State Natural Area, Oregon Coast.......April 20, 2019.

Sideview of the flower and spur of Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis)

Long-spurred violet as seen atop Saddle Mountain in the Coast Range of northwestern Oregon........May 21, 2009.

Long-spurred Violet, Western Longspur Violet, Hookedspur Violet, Early Blue Violet: Viola adunca (Synonynms: Viola adunca var. adunca, Viola adunca var. bellidifolia, Viola adunca var. cascadensis, Viola adunca ssp. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. oxyceras, Viola adunca var. uncinulata, Viola bellidifolia, Viola cascadensis)

Long-spurred violet as seen atop the summit ridge of Saddle Mountain, Coast Range of Oregon.........May 2, 2016.
Paul Slichter