This post is meant to supplement printed manuals, field guides, books and keys in which images of Roundleaf Violet are lacking. Images are important to augment text accounts targeting identification because “Viola species exhibit great phenotypic variation” (Montana Field Guide). Little (2015) emphasized that the stem, leaf, and flower parts of violets change in size over time given “aspect, light, soil moisture, and other soil properties”.
Key Field Marks
My western Montana photos concentrate on the structures listed in the table below as key field marks (left column – taken from the literature) to determine identification. The right column describes each structure as it appears in the field for Roundleaf Violet.
| Structure | Description |
| Flower Petal Color | Yellow |
| Bearded or Beardless | Bearded |
| Petal Spur, short or long | Short |
| Stem or Peduncle | Peduncle |
| Leaf Shape | Circular |
| Style tip (hairy or not) | Hairy |
Images
The eight photos are filtered by key field marks (structures) for quick access to specific plant parts. Click on one filter and only those photos for that field mark show. Passing your cursor over individual photos will reveal a descriptive caption. Clicking on a photo will open and launch a larger lightbox size.
References
Brandenburg, D. M. (2010). Field Guide to Wildflowers of North America. New York,
New York: Andrew Stewart Publishing, Inc.
Lackschewitz, K. (1991). Vascular Plants of West-Central Montana-Identification Guidebook. Ogden, Utah: USDA Intermountain Research Station.
Lesica, P. (2012). Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. Fort Worth, Texas: Botanical Research Institute of Texas.
Little, J. R. (2015). Viola in Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 2015. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Retrieved from http://floranorthamerica.org/Viola.
