Arrow-leaf Violet

Viola inconspicua subsp. nagasakiensis

Flower name
Arrow-leaf Violet
Scientific name
Viola inconspicua subsp. nagasakiensis
Aliasスモウトリグサ, Viola, 菫, ビオラ, 相撲取草, すみれ
Place of originJapan and Taiwan
Place of floweringFields and footpaths, Low mountains, Potted flower
Flowering seasonMarch, April, May

What is Arrow-leaf Violet

Arrow-leaf Violet or hime-sumire (scientific name: Viola inconspicua subsp. nagasakiensis) is native to Japan and Taiwan and is one of the stemless species of "violets (scientific name: Viola mandshurica)" in the family Violaceae. It grows wild in sunny grassland in the corners of gardens and along roadsides in Honshu to Kyushu. Hime-sumire resembles violets and is smaller than violets, hence the name "princess" in part of its flower name.

Deferrence between Violet and Arrow-leaf Violet

*Violet is 5-15 cm tall, the flowers are 2 cm in diameter, the flowers are rich in color, the leaves are 2-9 cm long and spatulate, not heart-shaped at the base, the petiole has no wings, and the root color is brown.

*Arrow-leaf Violet (Hime-sumire) is small (3-10 cm in height and 1-1.5 cm in diameter), with only dark purple flowers with hairs on the side petals, and 1.5-4 cm long, elongated, triangular to spear-shaped leaves with a heart-shaped base, wings on the petiole, and white root color.

Common name: Arrow-leaf Violet (scientific name: Viola inconspicua subsp. nagasakiensis, place of origin: Japan, Taiwan, height: 3 to 10 cm, leaf length: 2 to 4 cm, leaf shape: triangle (summer) → spear-shaped; leaf color: dark green; leaf margin: serrate; flowering season: April; flower diameter: 1-1.5 cm; petals: narrow; flower color: dark purple.