Underviol – Viola mirabilis

Perennial herb.

15–30 cm high.

The rhizome is erect and covered with large, brown scales. The stem is rather sturdy, secund-pubescent.

The spring leaves are arranged in a rosette. The lamina is initially 3–4 cm long, but eventually 4–8cm long, and as long as its width. The lamina is light green, broadly cordate to reniform, and scantily pubescent beneath. The petioles are secund-pubescent. The stipules are 1–2 cm long, narrow ovate, entire and fugacious.

The flowers are bisexual, drooping and zygomorphic. The first flowers are located individually at the summit of scapes, which emerge from the rhizome, and are weakly fragrant, typically sterile. The corolla (about 2 cm) is light purple. Later in the summer, there are short-pedicellate, cleistogamous flowers individually at the leaf axils of stem. The cleistogamous flowers develop fruits.

The fruit is a three-sectioned, elongate and glabrous capsule.