seen from the front, the petals of this violet flower are all white besides for a few streaks of dark purple. some light green from the calyx behind the petals can be seen through the petals at their base. the top two petals have no purple streaks and are swept backwards. the lateral petals stand straight out to the sides & have just one or two shorts streaks of purple; they also have white beard hairs at their base. the bottom petal is the narrowest, and bears parallel streaks of dark purple across its width.
looking at the flower from the side & behind. most of the petals can't be seen well from this side, except for the top petals that sweep back over the top of the flower. the light green calyx has long, pointed lobes, and though it cannot be directly seen behind the nearest petal, the smooth, light green stem must certainly bend sharply at its apex to hold up this flower. the violet also has a rounded spur at the back, not very long but it does extend well past the calyx. lower & to the right, one of the violets smooth, green, heart-shaped leaves still curls in a little at its base. it has a crenulated margin & where its stem meets the main stem there is a large, toothed stipule.
three white violet flowers blooming, one still not fully deployed. this little one on the left shows the tight bend its stem undertakes by its apex. the violet flowers have five white petals: the top two plain white, lateral two with one or two purple streaks, and the bottom petal with consistent parallel purple lines from one side to the other. the violet's leaves are heart-shaped with crenulate margins (little bumps like rounded teeth). the flowers and leaves alike branch off a main stem which is somewhat lost from this angle. this forest bottomland is busy with other herbs & some woody plants too. last years fallen tree leaves are also getting lost beneath the new green layer on the forest floor.
🌼 cream violet 🌿
Viola striata
#nativeplants #ecoregion71
