Herbs in our species with basal or alternate simple leaves and solitary or clustered perfect irregular flowers; sepals 5, petals 5, the lower one larger or with a posterior spur.

Acaulescent; rootstock short and thick. Leaves long-petioled, smooth or more or less hairy, slightly fleshy, cordate with a broad sinus, acute or acuminate, crenately toothed. Flowers large, blue or violet, scapes 2—10 inches long, equalling or surpassing the leaves; petals narrow, ½—¾ of an inch long, all villous at the base, the 3 lower strongly so.

In moist shaded ground, on stream banks and in marshes, frequent throughout the Rockies; flowering in May and early June.

Acaulescent, smooth, petioles and scapes arising from a very slender, creeping or horizontal rootstock, the scapes mostly exceeding the leaves. Leaves thin, cordate, broadly ovate, orbicular or reniform, 1—2½ inches wide, crenulate. Flowers pale lilac or nearly white with darker veins; petals broad, ⅓—½ an inch long, spur short.

In marshy places among moss in the Selkirks near Glacier; flowering in June; not a common species in the region.

Sparingly hairy, stems weak and decumbent, multiplying by long slender rootstocks. Leaves mostly basal, rounded, cordate, reniform or sometimes ovate ½—1½ inches broad, finely crenate; peduncles mostly exceeding the leaves. Flowers yellow; petals oblong, ⅓ of an inch or more long, sparingly veined with brown toward the base; spur short and sac-like.

In open woods throughout the region at elevations ranging from 5000 to 7000 feet, blossoming very early in May or June shortly after the melting of the snow.

Minutely hairy or smooth, stems fleshy from a short fleshy horizontal rhizome, naked or sparingly leafy below, 5—12 inches high. Basal leaves on long petioles, the upper short-petioled reniform-cordate to cordate, acute, crenate-toothed, 1—4 inches broad. Flowers bright yellow on peduncles mainly shorter than the leaves; petals broadly oblong, ⅓—½ an inch or more long, the lateral and lower with brown lines at the base.

A striking plant on shaded banks and borders of streams and rills at the higher altitudes, very abundant in the Selkirks; flowering in June.

Smooth or nearly so; stems 3—14 inches high, tufted, leafy throughout. Leaves broadly ovate or nearly orbicular, cordate, acuminate or acute, 1—2½ inches long, serrate, the veins on the lower surface often hairy. Flowers on peduncles mainly shorter than the leaves, pale violet or nearly white, veined with purple, and often tinged with purple on the outside, ½—¾ of an inch broad; petals nearly in the same plane.

In rich moist woods throughout the Rockies and occasionally in the open alpine meadows, continuing in flower from June until September.

Slightly hairy or nearly smooth, branching from the base, usually 3—11 inches high, at length sending out runners that bear cleistogamic flowers. Leaves ovate, more or less cordate at the base, ½—1½ inches long, obscurely crenate. Flowers on peduncles usually longer than the leaves, violet-purple to white; petals ½ an inch or more long; spur ¼ of an inch long, rather slender and curved.

A low-stemmed violet usually with brilliant blue flowers, growing in dry, sandy, shaded or open ground at varying elevations throughout the Rockies: flowering in June and July.