Viola purpurea subsp. mesophyta
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Violaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Viola purpurea subsp. mesophyta is a native California herb in the Violaceae family, recognized by Intermediate characteristics make field identification challenging.
yellow violet is a California native perennial found in the northern California Mountains, Sierra Nevada, western Transverse Ranges, and San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains in damp, shady areas of lodgepole pine and fir forests at elevations of 1,400 to 3,600 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces yellow flowers with purple-tinted petals 7 to 10 millimeters long. Growing 9 to 18.5 centimeters tall with generally erect stems that elongate by the end of the growing season, it has a delicate, upright form. Its leaves are lanceolate to ovate-oblong, with bases tapered and slightly oblique, ranging from 1.5 to 4.8 centimeters long, and featuring irregular tooth-like edges. The fruit is small, measuring 4 to 5.5 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Intermediate characteristics make field identification challenging
Habitat and range
Habitat: Damp, shady areas in lodgepole pine, fir forest
Elevation: 1400-3600 m
Bloom period
Viola purpurea subsp. mesophyta blooms May-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Asarum: Viola flowers sit above ground on stalks; Asarum flowers hide at ground level under heart-shaped leaves.; vs Cardamine: Viola has irregular flowers with a spur; Cardamine has 4-petaled symmetrical flowers.; vs Lycianthes: Viola flowers have a backward spur; Lycianthes has star-shaped flowers with no spur.; vs Pelargonium: Viola has a petal-derived spur; Pelargonium has a sepal-derived spur fused to the flower stalk.; vs Eschscholzia: Viola has 5 petals with one forming a spur; Eschscholzia has 4 separate fan-shaped petals.
Frequently asked questions
Is Viola purpurea subsp. mesophyta native to California?
Yes. Viola purpurea subsp. mesophyta is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Viola purpurea subsp. mesophyta bloom?
Viola purpurea subsp. mesophyta blooms May-Aug.
What plant family does Viola purpurea subsp. mesophyta belong to?
Viola purpurea subsp. mesophyta is in the Violaceae family, genus Viola.
What habitat does Viola purpurea subsp. mesophyta grow in?
Viola purpurea subsp. mesophyta grows in Damp, shady areas in lodgepole pine, fir forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.