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

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

Viola orbiculata

Round-leaf Violet, Round-leaved Violet, Darkwoods Violet, Evergreen Yellow Violet: Viola orbiculata

Round-leaf violet from near Table Mt, off Reecer Creek Road, Wenatchee N.F...........June 23, 1997.
Round-leaf Violet, Round-leaved Violet, Darkwoods Violet, Evergreen Yellow Violet: Viola orbiculataPhoto 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.

Paul Slichter