Canadian white violet

not listed

NNR - Unranked

SNR - Unranked

not listed

FACU - Facultative upland

FACU - Facultative upland

FACU - Facultative upland

Canadian white violet, also called creepingroot violet, is a 8″ to 16″ tall, erect, perennial forb that rises from superficial underground stems (rhizomes). It is colonial by producing above-ground horizontal stems (stolons) that creep along the ground, rooting and sending up new plants at the nodes.

The stems are erect, leafy, and usually hairy. Leaves and flowers appear on the same stem.

Basal leaves large and on long stalks. They are heart-shaped at the base and taper to a point at the tip with straight sides along the tip. Stem leaves are alternate and are similar to the basal leaves only narrower. They are 2″ to 4″ long and usually wider than they are long. Lower stem leaves are widely spaced. Upper stem leaves are larger and more densely crowded. There are small, lance egg-shaped, untoothed stipules at the base of the flower stalks.

The inflorescence is a single flower rising on a slender stalk rising from the upper leaf axils.

The flowers are 1″ to 1½″ wide. There are 5 white petals in an arranged typical of violets, two upper, two lateral, and a broad lower lip. The petals are yellow near the center. The lateral and lower petals have dark purple veins near the center. The lateral petals have tufts of hair near the center (bearded). All petals, but especially the two upper ones, are purplish on the outside.

The fruit is a capsule just under ½″ long. When the plant is in fruit the stipules dry and translucent.

8″ to 16″

White with yellow centers

Moderate moisture. Woods.

April to June

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 28, 29, 30.

Native

Common

A recent redescription of this subspecies (Ballard, 2020) proposed segregating Viola rugulosa from Viola canadensis as a distinct evolutionary species. The reasons given are persuasive, but to date (March 2023) the separation has been adopted just a small handful of other sources.

Plant

Flower