Bird's-foot violet

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Bird's-foot violet

Bird's-foot violet

Bird's-foot violet

Bird's-foot violet leaves

Bird's-foot violet leaf

Morphology

Stem

Stemless. Leaves and flowers arise directly from short vertical roots.

Leaves

Basal; stalks to 6 inches long; round in outline, palmately split into linear segments; principal leaves deeply 3-5-parted, lateral segments again 3-7 cleft into linear or lanceolate divisions, glabrous; margins sometimes fringed; tips often with 2-4 teeth or lobes.

Inflorescence

Solitary flower, terminal on stalk equal to or longer than leaf stalks.

Flower

Showy, .8 to 1.6 inch across; sepals 5, lanceolate, 1/3 to 1/5 inch long, glabrous or sparsely fringed; petals 5, distinct, unequal, 1/2 to 4/5 inch long, beardless, all petals lilac-purple or upper 2 sometimes dark violet; lowest petal white at base with dark purple veins; stamens 5, large, orange, converging but not united, prominently protruding from flower; style club-like. Self-pollinating flowers absent.

Fruit

Capsule, 1/4 to 1/3 inch long, yellowish-brown, glabrous; seeds small, reddish or tan.

Ecology

Habitat

Rocky, open woods, upland slopes, ridges, fields, rocky or sandy prairies, roadside banks; usually in dry, rocky or sandy, acidic soils.

Distribution

East 1/2 of Kansas.

Reproduction

By seed only.

Practical Information

Uses

Native Americans took a tea made from bird's-foot violet to treat dysentery and colds, and coughs when mixed with sugar. The roots were steeped and used to soak corn seeds prior to planting to ward off insects. A poultice of the leaves was used to treat headaches and a poultice of crushed roots was applied to boils.