Viola cucullata

Viola cucullata (Marsh Blue Violet) in flower. This species typically grows in full sun to partial shade along seeps, in wet woods, and sedge meadows. Here, it is growing in a seep at the edge of a black ash swamp.

The flowers and general plant form of Viola cucullata resemble Viola nephrophylla (Northern Bog Violet) but it has short club-tipped hairs on the inside of the lateral petals while Viola nephrophylla has hairs that come to a point. Telling them apart by leaves only is not so easy.