Viola glabella

Viola glabella, Violaceae, Stream violet, Yellow Wood Violet, Pioneer Violet

Viola glabella Photo Credit Ben Legler

Description

General: Puberulent perennial from widely spreading, scaly, fleshy rhizomes, the flowering stems 5-30 cm. tall, leafless the lower two-thirds.
Leaves: Leaf blades ovate-cordate to reniform, abruptly pointed, the basal leaves with petioles 10-20 cm. long; stipules membranous, ovate to obovate, 5-10 mm. long, entire.
Flowers: Flowers 8-14 mm. long, borne chiefly on the upper part of the stem, on peduncles about as long as the leaves; spur very short; petals clear yellow, the lower 3 with purple penciling, the lateral pair well bearded; style head copiously bearded.
Fruit: Fruit a 3-valved capsule, ovary superior, placentation parietal, seeds brown.

Bloom Period

Flowering Time: March-July
Crop Intervals: Perennial

Distribution

Both sides of the Cascades in Washington, Alaska to California, east to Montana

Habitat

Moist woods and stream banks, low to mid-elevations in the mountains

Uses

Landscaping: Smooth yellow violet is easy to establish in woodland gardens. It may reseed and can become a bit invasive
Young leaves and flower buds - raw or cooked. When added to soup they thicken it in much the same way as okra. Some caution is advised, the yellow flowers of this species can cause diarrhea if eaten in large quantities. A tea can be made from the leaves.

Image Gallery

• File:VIGL CNLMvol veg 2008 (3).jpg
• File:VIGL CNLMvol veg 2008 (4).jpg
• ==References==
• *http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection.php
• *http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id plant=VIGL
• *http://plants.usda.gov/java/nameSearch
• *http://wnps.org/landscaping/herbarium/pages/viola-glabella.html
• *http://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Viola+glabella