pronounced: vy-oh-LAY-see-eye
Viola was the Latin name for the violet. The Violaceae are shrubs or herbs with simple leaves, either alternate or basal; stipules are usually present, minute or leafy. The flowers are bisexual. The perianth has 5 distinct or nearly distinct imbricate sepals and 5 imbricate petals, the lowermost of which is usually spurred. There are 5, nearly sessile, distinct or connate stamens that are weakly coherent around the pistil. The two lowermost anthers often have nectariferous appendages that project backwards into the spur of the lowermost petal. There is a single compound pistil of 3 – 5 carpels, a single style, and a superior ovary consisting of 3 united carpels forming a single chamber. The fruit is an explosive 3-valved capsule, or a berry.
