Viola purpurea var. mesophyta
Mentzelia 1: 8. 1976.
Plants 9–18.5 cm. Stems usually erect, usually not buried, elongated by end of season, usually puberulent, sometimes ± glabrous. Leaves: basal: 1–5; petiole 2.8–13.8 cm, puberulent; blade purple-tinted abaxially, green adaxially, oblong, ovate-oblong, or lanceolate, 1.7–4.2 × 0.5–2.3 cm, base attenuate, usually oblique, margins usually irregularly repand-dentate to –serrate, sometimes ± entire, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces puberulent; cauline: petiole 0.3–12.3 cm, puberulent; blade lanceolate to ovate- or oblong-lanceolate, 1.5–5.2 × 0.2–1.5 cm, length 3.2–7.1 times width, base attenuate, usually oblique, margins usually undulate-denticulate, sharp-angled, sometimes entire, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces puberulent. Peduncles 2.6–6.7 cm, glabrous or usually puberulent. Lowest petals 7–10 mm. Capsules 4–5.5 mm. Seeds mottled gray and brown, 2.3–2.9 mm.
Phenology: Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat: Damp, shady areas in lodgepole pine, red and white fir forests
Elevation: 1400–3600 m
Discussion
Variety mesophyta was reported from Oregon by M. E. Peck (1941), but is not currently known there (H. L. Chambers in T. Cook and S. Sundberg, http://www.oregonflora.org/checklist.php).
Selected References
None.