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Species Details
Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium Read more about this collection »
LeavesLong petioles; egg-shaped to round; heart-shaped at base; small rounded teeth on margin; fine short hairs or hairless; stipules lance-shaped; bear small spines on margin or entire. Alternate; stipules reddish brown. 0.7-4.5 cm long and 1-3.5 cm wide.
FlowersSingle flowers from leaf axils; petals 5, blue to violet, lower 3 white at base, side pair white bearded; 1-2 cm long and 0.5 cm wide; spur straight or hooked, 4-6 mm long; sepals 5, lance-shaped, half-length of the petals; stamens 5, 4 pollen sacs.
Fruits and SeedsCapsule; 4-5 mm long which opens explosively at three valves; dark brown seeds.
Scientific Name
Viola adunca Sm.
Common Name
early blue violet
General Description
A perennial, tufted herb that grows from a slender rhizome and reaches a height of 4-10 cm in the spring, but later grows to 10-15 cm tall; single flowers are found in the leaf axils and are blue to deep violet.
Leaves
Long petioles; egg-shaped to round; heart-shaped at base; small rounded teeth on margin; fine short hairs or hairless; stipules lance-shaped; bear small spines on margin or entire. Alternate; stipules reddish brown.…
Long petioles; egg-shaped to round; heart-shaped at base; small rounded teeth on margin; fine short hairs or hairless; stipules lance-shaped; bear small spines on margin or entire. Alternate; stipules reddish brown. 0.7-4.5 cm long and 1-3.5 cm wide.
Flowers
Single flowers from leaf axils; petals 5, blue to violet, lower 3 white at base, side pair white bearded; 1-2 cm long and 0.5 cm wide; spur straight or hooked, 4-6 mm long; sepals 5, lance-shaped, half-length of the…
Single flowers from leaf axils; petals 5, blue to violet, lower 3 white at base, side pair white bearded; 1-2 cm long and 0.5 cm wide; spur straight or hooked, 4-6 mm long; sepals 5, lance-shaped, half-length of the petals; stamens 5, 4 pollen sacs.
Fruits and Seeds
Capsule; 4-5 mm long which opens explosively at three valves; dark brown seeds.
Phenology
Flowering early May to August.
Notes
2n=20*, 30*, 40*
Similar species: V. pedatifida can be found on dry prairie grasslands and can be distinguised from V. adunca by basal leaves with 6-15 finger-like lobes and bright purple flowers that are 1-2 cm across.
2n=20*, 30*, 40*
Similar species: V. pedatifida can be found on dry prairie grasslands and can be distinguised from V. adunca by basal leaves with 6-15 finger-like lobes and bright purple flowers that are 1-2 cm across.
Range/Distribution
Alberta: SW in mountain range and central. CAN (BC, MB, NB, NS, SK, NT, NU, ON, QC, YT); USA (AK, WA, OR, CA, NV, ID, MT, WY, UT, AZ, CO, NM, ND, SD, IA, MN, WI, MI, NY, VT, ME, MA, NH).
Citation
Page Citation for Viola adunca Sm.
Page Citation
"Species Details - Viola adunca Sm., University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium." University of Alberta Museums Search Site, https://search-test.museums.ualberta.ca/g/1-5256/12-160904. Accessed 11 Oct. 2025.
Specimen Information
There are 342 specimens of this Species.
103206 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Fabyan
Date Collected1981-06-02
103207 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Fabyan
Date Collected1981-06-02
103208 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Waterton Lakes National Park
Date Collected1981-06-23
103209 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Waterton Lakes National Park
Date Collected1981-06-23
103210 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Beauvais Lake Provincial Park
Date Collected1981-06-25
80933 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Hand Hills
Date Collected1975-06-18
71886 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Waiparous Creek
Date Collected1974-06-25
72155 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Big Knife Provincial Park
Date Collected1974-05-30
57177 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Edson
Date Collected1970-07-09/1970-07-18/1970-07-19
71743 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Canyon Creek
Date Collected1974-06-29
72963 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Cypress Hills Provincial Park, Elkwater Lake
Date Collected1952-06-21
27177 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Jasper National Park, Mount Edith Cavell
Date Collected1969-05-19
54888 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Gem
Date Collected1954-06
76267 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Jasper National Park, Tonquin Valley
Date Collected1977-07-08
83159 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Sundre
Date Collected1979-05-20
80931 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Laurier Lake
Date Collected1973-05-20
84433 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Gros Ventre Creek
Date Collected1978-05-29
76325 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Jasper National Park, Chrome Lake
Date Collected1971-07-15
62163 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Banff National Park, Lake Louise
Date Collected1943-06-21
72248 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Kananaskis Country, Gorge Creek
Date Collected1965-06-13
12781 - Viola adunca Sm.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Nameearly blue violet
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Carbondale River
Date Collected1944-07-04