Hepatica nobilis

Perennial herb.

10–15 cm high.

The vertical rhizome is thick, dark brown. The plant has 1–7 stems and 3–5 basal leaves that emerge from the rhizome.

The plant has 3–5 overwintering basal leaves. The petiole is 8–20 cm long and pubescent. The lamina is coriaceous, 4–8 cm x 5–9 cm, cordate and trilobate with entire lobes. The abaxial side of the lamina is pubescent, often reddish. The adaxial side of the lamina is dark green, occasionally maculate with light colored spots. New leaves develop after flowering.

The sessile flowers are located individually at the summit of a scape-like stem and are subtended by three sepal-like somewhat elliptic, entire hypsophylls. The perianth typically consists of 6–8 tepals, 15–35 mm wide, blue or violet, occasionally white, red or variegated. Stamens are white or pink.

The fruit is an achene, 4–5 mm long, with a short beak. The beak is 1mm long. The seeds are dispersed by ants.