Viola purpurea subsp. aurea

Golden violet, Golden Violet

Family: Violaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2

Golden violet is a rare (CNPS 2B.2) California native perennial found in the eastern Sierra Nevada and Mojave Desert bioregions in pinyon/juniper woodland, sagebrush, and sandy slopes at elevations of 1,000 to 2,300 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces yellow flowers with lower petals 8 to 13 millimeters long. Growing as a small plant 4 to 12 centimeters tall with mostly buried stems that are decumbent or erect, it has a compact growth habit. Its leaves are distinctive, with basal blades 1.1 to 5 centimeters long, ranging from oblong to ovate or round, featuring crenate to shallowly serrate edges and bases that are tapered, oblique, or truncate. The plant is notably canescent to tomentose, giving it a soft, grayish appearance that helps it blend into its arid mountain and desert habitats.

Habitat: Pinyon/juniper woodland, sagebrush, sandy slopes

Bloom period: Apr-Jun

Elevation: 1000-2300 m

Bioregions: SNE, DMoj

California counties: Mono, San Bernardino, Kern, Ventura, Alpine

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