E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia

Viola canadensis L.
Canada violet; Canadian white violet
Violaceae (Violet Family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

© Ian Gardiner  Email the photographer   (Photo ID #16075)


Distribution of Viola canadensis
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Species Information

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Illustration SourceThe Illustrated Flora of BC

General:
Perennial herb from a rhizome, usually with stolons; stems erect, smooth to hairy, 10-40 cm tall.
Leaves:
Basal leaves heart-shaped, toothed, smooth to hairy, the blades 5-9 cm long, 6-12 cm wide, the stalks 15-30 cm long, smooth to hairy; stem leaves similar, the stalks shorter than the blades; stipules lanceolate, 1-2 cm long, entire or fringed.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of single, axillary flowers; petals 5, white, yellow-based, the lower petal 12-24 mm long including the 1- to 2-mm long spur, the lower 3 usually purplish pencilled, the lateral pair bearded; sepals 5, lanceolate, usually fringed or hairy; style heads bearded.
Fruits:
Capsules, egg-shaped, granular to short-hairy; seeds brown.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Climate

The climate type for this species, as reported in the:  "British Columbia plant species codes and selected attributes. Version 6 Database" (Meidinger et al. 2008), is not evaluated, unknown or variable.

Habitat / Range

Moist to dry woodlands, open forests and meadows in the lowland and montane zones; common throughout BC, except absent in extreme NW BC; N to AK, YT and NT, E to PQ and S to IL, IO, NE, NM, AZ, ID and OR.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of BC

Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Links

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General References