Species
Viola betonicifolia
Common Name(s)
Arrowhead violet, arrow-leaved violet
Authority
Viola betonicifolia Sm.
Family
Violaceae
Brief Description
Herbaceous perennial with leafy rosette & woody rootstock; leaves conspicuously hastate; stems to 30 cm tall; flowers purple or white.
Structural Class
Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites
Synonyms
Viola longiscapa (DC.) G.Don
V. phyteumifolia G.Don.
Habitat
In Whanganui, it has been a long-persistent perennial in cultivated pots of bulbs, defying all attempts to eradicate it manually; it spreads by seed to adjoining pots.
Similar Taxa
Other small Viola species such as V. arvensis and A. tricolor, but easily distinguished by its hastate leaves.
Flower Colours
Violet / Purple,White
Year Naturalised
2007
Origin
Australia; also India, Pakistan, SE Asia, Papua New Guinea
Reason for Introduction
Ornamental
Life Cycle and Dispersal
Self-establishes from seed.
This page last updated on 22 Jan 2016