Viola stiata cream violet Violaceae VIST; Bx, pb, wv (Yost et al. 1991);

Viola stiata.© 2000 Janet Novak.www.ct-botanical-society.org

Viola stiata. © 2000 Janet Novak.www.ct-botanical-society.org (Accessed (5/2014).

Viola stiata is a perennial herb, stems clustered from a short rhizome, to 30 cm at flowering, growing to 60 cm later, branching; stipules large, to 2.5 cm long, lance-shaped, conspicuously fringe-toothed. 

Leaves alternate, basal leaves rounded, to broadly heart-shaped, dying early in season, upper leaves heart to egg-shaped, to 7 cm long, tip pointed, margin blunt-toothed. 

Flowers cream-white with purplish veins, side petals bearded, bilaterally symmetrical.. 

Fruit capsules to 0.6 cm, seeds brown to 0.26 cm; blooms April-June. 

Wetland status: FACW. 

Frequency in NYC: Very infrequent.

 Origin: Native. 

Habitat: Moist to wet open habitats or light shade, along streams or ditches, often in calcareous soil, can be weedy.