A Beckwith Violet in the Huffaker Hills

This violet (Viola beckwithii, Violaceae Family) was seen in the Huffaker Hills in the middle of March this year, just after the snow was gone. Beckwith violets grow on dry, sandy soil. The picture shows the typical color pattern of the flower: the upper two petals are darker colored (here deep purple) than the lower (here blue-purple) ones. The fan-shaped leaves and some dry soil can be seen in the back.

Further Information:
Other species of the Violet Family can be found in the Lake Tahoe Area and the Great Basin. To find out when and where, see, for example, the FALCON GUIDE Tahoe Wildflowers by Laird R. Blackwell (2007).