Viola howellii

Howell's violet

Family: Violaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2

Howell's violet is a rare (CNPS 2B.2) California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges near Joe Bar in Siskiyou County, inhabiting moist, shady areas of conifer forests at elevations of 50 to 1,295 meters. Flowering from April to July, this violet produces soft blue-violet to violet flowers with white bases and dark violet veining, the lower petals 14 to 23 millimeters long with a distinctive bearded appearance. Growing prostrate to erect with 1 to 4 stems up to 44 centimeters tall, it emerges from a woody rhizome and becomes increasingly elongated through the growing season. Its leaves are thin and broadly ovate to kidney-shaped, with 1 to 6 basal leaves featuring heart-shaped bases and crenate edges, typically 2 to 7 centimeters wide. The plant produces elliptic fruits 7 to 11 millimeters long, developing from axillary flowers with slender peduncles.

Habitat: Moist, shady areas, conifer forest

Bloom period: Apr-Jul

Elevation: 50-1295 m

Bioregions: KR (near Joe Bar, Siskiyou Co.)

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.