Viola violacea Makino

Herbs perennial, acaulescent, 3-8 cm tall, usually glabrous. Rhizome short. Leaves caespitose, ascending, sometimes erect; stipules subulate-lanceolate or subulate-linear, base adnate to petioles, remotely glandulous-ciliate, membranous; petiole 2-8 cm; leaf blade abaxially usually purplish, adaxially deep green, sometimes white variegated on veins, narrowly triangular-ovate, 2-5 × 1-3 cm, both surfaces glabrous or rarely pubescent, base cordate, margin shallowly serrate, apex acute. Pedicel 5-8 cm. Flowers red-purple, ca. 1.5 cm in diam. Sepals broadly lanceolate, 4-7.5 mm, appendages ca. 1 mm, apex truncate or rounded. Petals 8-12 mm; lateral ones glabrous or rarely sparsely bearded; spur usually slightly curved upward, 5-7 mm, slender. Ovary ovoid, glabrous. Fl. Mar-Apr, fr. May-Jul.

Mountains all over Japan. Forest understories in valleys; at elevations below 1,000 metres.

The leaves and flower buds are eaten raw or cooked. The leaves can be sued for tea drinks.

Can be grown by divisions or seedlings. Seeds needs stratification.