Need help identifying this plant I found growing in western SC. It was near a small stream in a mixed hardwood forest in heavy shade. Photo was taken around 4/2/20.
Hi Joel,
this is one of our attractive but difficult to identify native violets. I would call this one Viola subsinuata – an early blue violet. The number of leaf lobes helps us to give it a name – but it is similar to several others such as Viola triloba and Viola septemloba. It may hybridize.
Sincerely,
Dr. Steven Hill
Botanist, SCNPS