Authors: Cav.
Tufted with creeping to rhizomatous non-blooming stems and ascending to erect flowering ones. Leaves broadly lanceolate to broadly ovate, rarely orbicular, cuneate to shahowly cordate at the base, crenate to serrate with black marginal glands, glabrous or slightly downy, 0.6-6.5 by 0.3-5.5cm, long stalked. Flowers 2-3cm across, rich yellow often with brown guide lines, the lateral petals bearded, spring and summer in the wild. Argentina and Chile from the central cordilleras to Fuegia and the Falklands, in a range of habitats from sea level to 2000m according to latitude. V.m. var. microphyllus is a small form with narrowly lanceolate leaves. The allied V. germainii (syn. V. nivalis) is very dwarf with a mat-forming habit from thick rhizomes, having fleshy, shortly downy, ovate leaves 9-12 by 6-9mm. The shortly-stalked, beardless flowers are about 2cm across. Chile, in the Cordilleras de Santiago near the snow line at about 3000m. Worthy of introduction. See also the related V. magellanica and V. reichii.
