A few days ago, I posted a picture of one Ohio's yellow species of violets, Viola hastata or halberdleaf violet. As clearly shown in that picture, Violets are not always violet! Today I thought I would post two other violets. First up, we have one of Ohio's white violet species, Viola striata. This is one of the leafy violets. It actually possesses leaves on its stems and some other cool leaves called stipules that are small and highly toothed, almost like a comb. In the following picture, notice its white petals and purple lines sometimes called nectar guides, which grab the attention of pollinators and guide them to the important reproductive parts of the plant.
Here is the common blue violet, Viola sororia. This is the one that probably grows in your yard. It is a native species, but does do quite well in grass and lawns and can be quite a pest. In the wild in can be spectacular when several plants are grouped together. Although common, it is a beautiful wildflower that should not be taken for granted. Both these plants were shot in Kenny Park, right here in the City of Columbus.
There you go. Two more violets. There are more than 20 or so more species to find this spring. I don't think I'll see them all!
Tom
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