Stream violet, yellow wood violet, pioneer violet • Viola glabella
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Photos by Brian Starzomski (flower) and John Reynolds.
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Identification
Stream violet is a perennial species. Its flowers are yellow, with purple lines on the lower 3 of 5 petals. The inside corners of the lateral two petals bear clumps of small white hairs ('white-bearded', visible in this picture). The flowers are relatively small (1.5 cm long). The heart-shaped or kidney-shaped leaves are toothed and have sharply-pointed tips; they may or may not be hairy, and their upper surface is shiny. Basal and stem leaves are similar.
Habitat & Range
Stream violet grows along streams and in moist clearings, glades, and forests, at all elevations. It is a common species throughout most of BC. Its range covers much of western North America (see range map).
Similar Species
Round-leaved yellow violet (Viola orbiculata) has more rounded leaves that lack the pointed tips of stream violet.
Intriguing Info
Stream violet hybridizes with Queen Charlotte twinflower violet (V. biflora ssp. carlottae) on Haida Gwaii.
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/71113-Viola-glabella
Stream violet is a perennial species. Its flowers are yellow, with purple lines on the lower 3 of 5 petals. The inside corners of the lateral two petals bear clumps of small white hairs ('white-bearded', visible in this picture). The flowers are relatively small (1.5 cm long). The heart-shaped or kidney-shaped leaves are toothed and have sharply-pointed tips; they may or may not be hairy, and their upper surface is shiny. Basal and stem leaves are similar.
Habitat & Range
Stream violet grows along streams and in moist clearings, glades, and forests, at all elevations. It is a common species throughout most of BC. Its range covers much of western North America (see range map).
Similar Species
Round-leaved yellow violet (Viola orbiculata) has more rounded leaves that lack the pointed tips of stream violet.
Intriguing Info
Stream violet hybridizes with Queen Charlotte twinflower violet (V. biflora ssp. carlottae) on Haida Gwaii.
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/71113-Viola-glabella
References
Viola glabella Nutt. In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Ed.). E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Accessed 28/04/2014.
Pojar, J. and MacKinnon, A. (1994). Plants of Coastal British Columbia. Vancouver, BC: Lone Pine Publishing. P. 203.
Authors and editors of page
Kelly Fretwell and Brian Starzomski (2014).
Viola glabella Nutt. In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Ed.). E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Accessed 28/04/2014.
Pojar, J. and MacKinnon, A. (1994). Plants of Coastal British Columbia. Vancouver, BC: Lone Pine Publishing. P. 203.
Authors and editors of page
Kelly Fretwell and Brian Starzomski (2014).
