Common yellow violet

This native perennial plant consists of a small rosette of basal leaves (usually 3 or more), from which one or more stems up to 1' long may develop. These stems are hairless, finely pubescent, or somewhat hairy. The blade of each basal leaf is up to 3" long and 2½" across; at its base, there is a stout petiole up to 3" long. The petioles can be hairless or hairy. The basal leaves are orbicular-cordate or oval-cordate, crenate-dentate along the margins, and palmately veined. For var. eriocarpa of this species, each margin of a leaf (whether left or right) has a total of 16-18 teeth. This variety of Viola pubescens has less hairy leaves than the typical variety; the upper surface of each leaf is usually hairless, while the lower surface may have a few hairs along the major veins. The cauline leaves alternate along the stems; they are similar to the basal leaves, but smaller in size. There is a fairly large stipule where the base of a petiole joins the stem; this stipule is lanceolate-ovate.