Perennial, stemless, flowers lilac and blue. Sandy or gravelly soil, dry fields and hillsides. Maine to Minnesota, south to Florida and Missouri. Rare in northern Ohio. April, May.

Arrow-Leaved Violet

Rootstock

Short, vertical.

Leaves

Numerous, nearly orbicular in outline but separated into three or five divisions, and the side divisions often two to three-parted; divisions linear or narrowly spatulate, sometimes toothed or cut at the apex.

Flowers

Large, an inch wide, pale or deep lilac, purple, or blue, rarely white. Var. bi-color, the two upper petals deep violet, the others paler. Occurs sparingly at the north, most common southward.

An exceedingly beautiful Violet, occurring sparingly throughout our northern range but common southward; in early spring it appears abundantly in the markets of Washington and Baltimore. The variety bi-color is strikingly handsome with the two upper petals deep violet and velvety in texture, the other petals paler blue. This is the southern form.

Bird's-Foot Violet. Viola pedata

Viola sagittata

Perennial, stemless, flowers dark violet-blue, rarely white. Wet meadows and marshes. Maine to Michigan, south to Georgia and Texas. Found in northern Ohio, but not frequent. April, May.

Arrow-Leaved Violet. Viola sagittate

Rootstock

Stout and fleshy.

Leaves

Varying from oblong heart-shaped to halberd-shaped, arrow-shaped, oblong, lanceolate or ovate, toothed more or less; petioles varying from short and margined to long and naked.

Flowers

Deep violet-blue with darker lines, rather large; lateral petals bearded; spur short and thick.

The Arrow-Leaved Violet may be recognized by its leaves, of which it has a variable collection, but they are so alike in their unlikeness that this is a personal characteristic; they are rarely like arrow-heads, oftener like the bowl of a teaspoon with the handle broadened at the bowl. In addition to the deep violet-blue blossoms the plant also produces cleis-togamous flowers.