Violaceae FAMILY

Viola diffusa

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

All members of this genus have more or less edible leaves and flower buds, though those species, like this one, that can have yellow flowers can cause diarrhoea if eaten in large quantities[ 62 Title A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Publication Author Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. Publisher Van Nostrand Reinhold Year 1982 ISBN 0442222009 Description Very readable. , 85 Title Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. Publication Author Harrington. H. D. Publisher University of New Mexico Press Year 1967 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9 Description A superb book. Very readable, it gives the results of the authors experiments with native edible plants. , 159 Title Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Publication Author McPherson. A. and S. Publisher Indiana University Press Year 1977 ISBN 0-253-28925-4 Description A nice pocket guide to this region of America. ].

Botanical Description

Viola diffusa is an annual to perennial plant, branching from the base and producing procumbent stems that root at their ends to produce dense rosettes of leaves and flowers; the plant grows around 8cm tall[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. , 275 Title Flora of Japan Publication Author Website http://www.foj.info Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora - an excellent resource. , 455 Title Flore de Madagascar et des Comores Publication Author Humbert H. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ Publisher Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle; Paris Year 1946 - 1984 ISBN Description Written in French, an excellent flora of the area though it has not been completed. Available for download from the Internet. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeE. Asia - central and southern China, southern Japan, Nepal, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Philippines, New Guinea.

HabitatWasted slopes, stream edges, sparse forests and roadsides where they are damp and shady[ 147 Title A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Publication Author ? Publisher Running Press; Philadelphica. Year 1977 ISBN 0-914294-92-X Description A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods. ]. Mountain forests, forest margins, grassy slopes, stream valleys, rock crevices; at elevations below 2,000 metres[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ].