Clumps with numerous basal leaves decorate wet habitats with delicate blue flowers. The stemless plant spreads by horizontal rhizomes. Note the oval leaves with uniform, rounded teeth and hairless leaf surfaces, and the flowers stems growing directly from the roots. This is the blue violet of the Sandia and Manzano mountains.

FLOWER: June–August. The dainty light or dark blue to white flowers grow on 2–6-inch long (5–15 cm) flower stems (peduncles) directly from the rhizomes. The 5 petals, 3/4-inch long and wide (20 mm), have white throats with dark blue lines; lateral petals are bearded with tiny hairs near the throat. The flowers have a little nub of a spur 1/8-inch long (2–3 mm).

LEAVES: Basal. Clumps of 20–30 leaves grow straight from rootstock on stems (petioles) 1–6-inches long (2.5–15 cm). The oval to heart- or kidney-shaped blades reach 1–4-inches long and wide (2.5–10 cm) with rounded or pointed tips; margins entire or lined with small, uniform, rounded teeth.

HABITAT: Wet sandy, gravelly soils of boggy areas, seeps, creeks, moist meadows, pastures, riparian woodlands; yellow/ponderosa pine, spruce forests.

ELEVATION: 5,600–10,400 feet.

RANGE: AZ, CO, NM, OK, TX; all states west of the Mississippi/Ohio rivers.

SIMILAR SPECIES: This is the Viola sororia var. affinis (Viola nephrophylla var. arizonica) listed for the Sandia and Manzano mountains. NM has 7 native species of violets, including two common blue species. Hooked Blue Violet, V. adunca, has dark blue flowers on branching stems.

NM COUNTIES: Western two-thirds of NM in mid- to high-elevation moist habitats: Bernalillo, Catron, Cibola, Colfax, Grant, Lincoln, Los Alamos, McKinley, Mora, Otero, Rio Arriba, San Juan, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe,  Sierra, Socorro, Taos, Torrance, Valencia.