Violets (Viola) are a genus of flowering plants in the family Violaceae, with around 400-500 species throughout the world, mainly in the temperate Northern Hemisphere but also in Hawaii, Australasia, and the Andes in South America. They are typically found in moist and slightly shaded conditions such as hedgerows. For other uses of the word, please see Genus (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that Angiospermae, and Anthophyta be merged into this article or section. ... Genera Agatea Allexis Amphirrhox Anchietea Corynostylis Decorsella Fusispermum Gloeospermum Hybanthus Hymenanthera Isodendron Leonia Mayanaea Melicytus Noisettia Orthion Paypayrola Rinorea Rinoreocarpus Schweiggeria Viola Violaceae is a family of flowering plants. ... The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planets surface (or celestial sphere) that is north of the equator (the word hemisphere literally means half ball). On the Earth, the Northern Hemisphere contains most of the land and about 88-90% of the human population. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Australasia Australasia is a term variably used to describe a region of Oceania: Australia, New Zealand, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. ... Planes view of the Andes, Peru. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... For other meanings, see hedge. ...

Most violets are small perennial plants, but a few are annual plants and some are small shrubs. They typically have heart-shaped leaves, and asymmetrical flowers with four upswept or fan-shaped petals, two each side, and one broad, lobed lower petal pointing downward. The shape of the petals defines many species, for example, some violets have a "spur" on the end of each petal. Flower colours vary in the genus; many are violet as their name suggests, and some are blue, some yellow, some white, some cream; some are bicolored, often blue and yellow. Flowering is often profuse, and may last for much of the spring and summer. Red Valerian, a perennial plant. ... Peas are an annual plant. ... A broom shrub in flower A shrub or bush is a horticultural rather than strictly botanical category of woody plant, distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and lower height, usually less than 6 m tall. ... “Foliage” redirects here. ... A Phalaenopsis flower Rudbeckia fulgida A flower, (<Old French flo(u)r<Latin florem<flos), also known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also called angiosperms). ...

One quirk of some violets is the elusive scent of their flowers; along with terpenes, a major component of the scent is a ketone compound called ionone, which temporarily desensitises the receptors in the nose; this prevents any further scent from being detected from the flower. Many terpenes are derived from conifer resins, here a pine. ... Ketone group A ketone is either the functional group characterized by a carbonyl group linked to two other carbon atoms or a chemical compound that contains this functional group. ... Ionone or 4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexen-1-yl)-3-Buten-2-one or cyclocitrylideneacetone or irisone C13H20O is a chemical substance and part of the terpene family. ... An olfactory receptor neuron, also called an olfactory sensory neuron, is the primary transduction cell for olfaction in the olfactory system. ...

Selected species

See List of Viola species for a more complete list. This is a list of species in the plant genus Viola, the violets. ...

• Viola arvensis - Field Pansy
• Viola banksii - (Australian) Native Violet
• Viola biflora - Yellow Wood Violet or Twoflower Violet
• Viola canina - Heath Dog Violet
• Viola hirta - Hairy Violet
• Viola odorata - Sweet Violet
• Viola sororia - Common Blue Violet or Hooded Violet
• Viola pedunculata - Yellow Pansy
• Viola pubescens - Downy yellow violet
• Viola riviniana - Common Dog Violet
• Viola stagnina - Fen Violet
• Viola tricolor - Wild Pansy or Heartsease
• (Note: Neither Saintpaulia ("African violets") nor Erythronium dens-canis ("Dogtooth violets") are related to the true violets.)

The genus includes the Dog Violets, a group of scentless species which are the most common violets in many areas, the Sweet Violet Viola odorata (named from its sweet scent), and many other species whose common name includes the word "violet". Several species are known as pansies, including the Yellow Pansy of the Pacific coasts. Binomial name Viola arvensis Viola arvensis is a species of the genus Viola. ... Viola biflora Categories: Plant stubs ... Binomial name Viola canina L. Viola canina is a species of the genus Viola. ... Viola hirta Categories: Stub ... Viola odorata Categories: Plant stubs | Plants ... Binomial name Viola sororia Viola sororia, also known as the Common Blue Violet, is a perennial flowering plant that is native to eastern North America. ... Binomial name Viola pedunculata Torr. ... Binomial name Viola riviniana Viola riviniana is a species of the genus Viola. ... Binomial name Viola persicifolia Schreber Fen violet Viola persicifolia (syn. ... Binomial name Viola tricolor L. The Heartsease, Viola triocolor is a common European wild flower, growing as an annual or short-lived perennial. ... Species Saintpaulia brevipilosa Saintpaulia confusa Saintpaulia dificilis Saintpaulia diplotricha Saintpaulia goetzeana Saintpaulia grandifolia Saintpaulia groetii Saintpaulia inconspicua Saintpaulia intermedia Saintpaulia ionantha Saintpaulia magungensis Saintpaulia nitida Saintpaulia orbicularis Saintpaulia pendula Saintpaulia pusilla Saintpaulia rupicola Saintpaulia shumensis Saintpaulia teitensis Saintpaulia tongwensis Saintpaulia velutina Saintpaulia is a genus of 20 species of herbaceous... Binomial name Erythronium dens-canis L. Erythronium dens-canis (common name Dogs tooth violet or Dogtooth violet) is a small herbaceous flowering plant in the Liliaceae, native to Europe, where it is the only naturally occurring species. ... Dog violet is the common name for various species of Viola with unscented flowers, including the common dog violet (Viola riviniana), the early dog violet (Viola richenbachiana), and the heath dog violet (Viola canina). ... Binomial name Viola odorata Thunb. ... Binomial name Viola pedunculata Torr. ... For other meanings of Pacific, see Pacific (disambiguation). ...

The Common Blue Violet Viola sororia is the state flower of Rhode Island, Illinois, and New Jersey. Binomial name Viola sororia Viola sororia, also known as the Common Blue Violet, is a perennial flowering plant that is native to eastern North America. ... This is a list of U.S. state flowers: External links Juelies State Flower Garden of Gifs List of state flowers See also List of U.S. state trees Lists of U.S. state insignia Categories: &#x202a;Lists of flowers&#x202c; | &#x202a;United States state insignia&#x202c; ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Official language(s) English Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles. ...

Australia is home to a number of violets, including Viola hederacea, Viola betonicifolia and Viola banksii, first collected by Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander on the Cook voyage to Botany Bay. Sir Joseph Banks, 1st Baronet, PRS (13 February 1743 – 19 June 1820) was an English naturalist, botanist and science patron. ... Daniel Carlsson Solander (February 19, 1733 – May 16, 1782) was a Swedish botanist. ... Image:Captainjamescookgpportrait. ... For other Botany Bays see Botany Bay (disambiguation) Bicentennial Monument at Botany Bay Botany Bay is a bay in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, a few kilometers south of the central business district. ...

The modern Garden Pansy (V. × wittrockiana) is a plant of complex hybrid origin involving at least three species, V. tricolor (Wild Pansy or Heartsease), V. altaica and V. lutea (Mountain Pansy). Pansy, see Isabella Macdonald Alden. ... // This article is about a biological term. ... Binomial name Viola tricolor L. The Heartsease (Viola tricolor) is a common European wild flower, growing as an annual or short-lived perennial. ... Species List of Viola species Violets (Viola) are a genus of flowering plants in the family Violaceae, with around 400-500 species throughout the world, mainly in the temperate Northern Hemisphere but also in Hawaii, Australasia, and the Andes in South America. ...

Violets are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Giant Leopard Moth, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing and Setaceous Hebrew Character. A larval insect A larva (Latin; plural larvae) is a juvenile form of animal with indirect development, undergoing metamorphosis (for example, insects or amphibians). ... Superfamilies Butterflies Hesperioidea Papilionoidea Moths Acanthopteroctetoidea Alucitoidea Axioidea Bombycoidea Calliduloidea Choreutoidea Cossoidea Drepanoidea Epermenioidea Eriocranioidea Galacticoidea Gelechioidea Geometroidea Gracillarioidea Hedyloidea Hepialoidea Heterobathmioidea Hyblaeoidea Immoidea Incurvarioidea Lasiocampoidea Lophocoronoidea Micropterigoidea Mimallonoidea Mnesarchaeoidea Neopseustoidea Nepticuloidea Noctuoidea Palaephatoidea Pterophoroidea Pyraloidea Schreckensteinioidea Sesioidea Simaethistoidea Thyridoidea Tineoidea Tischerioidea Tortricoidea Urodoidea Whalleyanoidea Yponomeutoidea Zygaenoidea The order Lepidoptera... Binomial name Ecpantheria scribonia (Stoll, 1790) The Giant Leopard Moth (Ecpantheria scribonia) is a moth of the family Arctiidae. ... Binomial name Noctua pronuba Linnaeus, 1758 The Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) is a moth, the type species for the family Noctuidae. ... Binomial name Noctua janthina Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775 The Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthina) is a moth of the family Noctuidae. ... Binomial name Xestia c-nigrum Linnaeus, 1758 The Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) is a moth of the family Noctuidae. ...

Uses

Culinary use

Sweet violet

When newly opened, violet flowers may be used to decorate salads or in stuffings for poultry or fish. Soufflés, cream and similar desserts can be flavoured with essence of violet flowers. The young leaves are edible raw or cooked as a somewhat bland leaf vegetable. Flowers, leaves and roots are also used for medical purposes, being rich in vitamins A and C. They also contain a type of antioxidant called an anthocyanin. another species of violet Released under GPL. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... another species of violet Released under GPL. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Binomial name Viola odorata Thunb. ... Fresh Swiss chard Fresh water spinach Creamed spinach Steamed kale Leaf vegetables, also called potherbs, greens, or leafy greens, are plant leaves eaten as a vegetable, sometimes accompanied by tender petioles and shoots. ... Retinol (Vitamin A) For the record label, see Vitamin Records Vitamins are nutrients required in very small amounts for essential metabolic reactions in the body. ... Space-filling model of the antioxidant metabolite glutathione. ... Plants with abnormally high anthocyanin quantities are popular as ornamental plants - here, a selected purple-leaf cultivar of European Beech Anthocyanins (from Greek: (anthos) = flower + (kyanos) = blue) are water-soluble vacuolar flavonoid pigments that appear red to blue, according to pH. They are synthesized exclusively by organisms of the plant...

A candied violet or crystallized violet is a violet flower preserved by a coating of sugar syrup. Hot syrup is poured over the fresh flower (or the flower is immersed in the syrup), and stirred until the sugar recrystallizes, and is dried. This method is still used for rose petals, was applied for orange flowers in the past (when almonds or orange peel are treated this way they are called as pralines). Candied violets are still made commercially at Toulouse, France, where they are known as violettes de Toulouse. They are used as decorating or included in aromatic desserts. In cooking, a syrup (from Arabic sharab, beverage, via Latin siropus) is a thick, viscous liquid, containing a large amount of dissolved sugars, but showing little tendency to deposit crystals. ... Species Between 100 and 150, see list Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rosa A rose is a flowering shrub of the genus Rosa, and the flower of this shrub. ... Binomial name Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck Orange—specifically, sweet orange—refers to the citrus tree Citrus sinensis (syn. ... Block quote |}Insert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text here-- For other uses, see Almond (disambiguation). ... Praline is a family of confections made from nuts and sugar syrup. ... New city flag (Occitan cross) Traditional coat of arms Motto: (Occitan: For Toulouse, always more) Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Region Midi-Pyrénées Department Haute-Garonne (31) Intercommunality Community of Agglomeration of Greater Toulouse Mayor Jean-Luc Moudenc  (UMP) (since 2004) City Statistics...

Violets are used to flavour the liqueurs Creme Yvette, Creme de Violette, and Parfait d'Amour. Also used in Parma Violets. A liqueur is a sweet alcoholic beverage, often flavored with fruits, herbs, or spices, and sometimes cream. ... Creme Yvette, also called Creme DYvette, is a defunct proprietary liqueur made from parma violet petals and possibly vanilla & other spices. ... Creme de Violette is a generic term for a usually-French liqueur with natural and/or artificial violet flower flavoring and coloring with either a brandy base, a neutral spirit base, or a combination of the two. ... Parma Violets Parma Violets are perfume flavoured sweets. ...

Medicinal use

Violet flowers are also used to make an herbal tea that is used in Chinese herbal medicine. Herbology is the art of combining medicinal herbs. ...

References

• ITIS (Accessed December 2 2002)
• The Oxford Companion to Food, by Alan Davidson, Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-211579-0
• Larousse Gastronomique, by Prosper Montagne (Ed.), Clarkson Potter, 2001. ISBN 0-609-60971-8