Distribution: Chiefly east of the Cascades, from near Cle Elum, Kittitas County, Washington, south to Baja California, east to Idaho
Habitat: Chaparral or open forest, often under ponderosa pine
Flowers: April - June
Origin: Native
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Glabrous perennial from deep-seated rhizomes, the flowering stems 5-15 cm. tall.
Leaf blades glaucous and somewhat purplish on the lower surface, 2-5 cm. long and broad, deeply cleft into 3 main lobes and dissected into ultimate linear segments; stipules small, membranous, comb-like.
Flowers about 12 mm. long, yellow, the upper pair of petals brownish-backed, the lower three purplish-penciled, the lateral pair sparsely bearded; style head sparsely bearded.
Fruit a 3-valved, puberulent capsule, ovary superior, placentation parietal.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Viola sheltonii in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.
WA Flora Checklist: Viola sheltonii checklist entry.
E-Flora BC: Viola sheltonii atlas page.
CalPhotos: Viola sheltonii photos.
USDA Plants: Viola sheltonii information.