Hairy fruit, Ball-fruited violet
Viola collina
Family: Violaceae
What it is like
A herb without a stem. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 3-8 cm high. It has a stout rootstock. It is 2-7 cm long. The leaves come from the root. They are broadly oval and 1-4 cm long by 1-3 cm wide. The flowers are small and white or violet.
There are about 500 Viola species.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. In China it grows in shady and moist places below 2,800 m above sea level. In Sichuan and Yunnan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Central Asia, China, Europe, Japan, Korea, Manchuria, Mongolia, Russia, Tajikistan
How it is used for food
The whole young plant is eaten as a potherb.
Edible parts
Flowers, leaves