Missouri Violet

The glossy, heart-shaped leaves of this 6-10 in. violet are topped by purple flowers with conspicuous white throats; the three lower petals are somewhat hairy. The erect flower stem droops slightly, as if bending its head toward the ground. 

As well as the normal flowers there are often flowers near the ground that fail to open, but their whitish fruit produces vast quantities of seeds. Violet leaves are high in vitamins A and C and can be used in salads or cooked as greens. The flowers can be made into candies and jellies. The Marsh Blue Violet (V. cucullata), a similar species of very wet habitats, has dark blue-centered flowers borne well above the leaves. (Lady Bird Johnson WC)