Viola douglasii
Encyclopedia
Viola douglasii is a species of violet known by the common name Douglas' violet, or Douglas' yellow violet. It is native to western North America from Oregon
through California
and into Baja California
, where it grows in seasonally moist habitat, often on serpentine soil
s. This rhizomatous
herb produces a cluster of erect stems just a few centimeters in length to about 20 centimeters in maximum height. The leaf blades are deeply dissected into several narrow lobes or compound, made up of leaflets, and borne on long petioles
. They are hairless to softly hairy in texture. A solitary flower is borne on a long, upright stem. It has five bright or deep yellow petals with brown veining and brown outer surfaces. The largest lowest petal may be over 2 centimeters in length.
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
through California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and into Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, where it grows in seasonally moist habitat, often on serpentine soil
Serpentine soil
A serpentine soil is derived from ultramafic rocks, in particular serpentinite, a rock formed by the hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle....
s. This rhizomatous
Rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
herb produces a cluster of erect stems just a few centimeters in length to about 20 centimeters in maximum height. The leaf blades are deeply dissected into several narrow lobes or compound, made up of leaflets, and borne on long petioles
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
. They are hairless to softly hairy in texture. A solitary flower is borne on a long, upright stem. It has five bright or deep yellow petals with brown veining and brown outer surfaces. The largest lowest petal may be over 2 centimeters in length.