Native Violet

Viola banksii

"Viola banksii", commonly known as native violet, is sold and grown throughout garden nurseries and grown and loved in gardens around Australia, especially in the east. For many years it was known as "Viola hederacea", however, the species complex was revised in 2004 by Kevin Thiele, with the name "Viola banksii" being published in 2003 by Kevin Thiele and Suzanne Prober.
Australian native violet Native to the east coast here in Australia, from south Queensland down to south New South Wales. A spreading ground cover which prefers shady, moist areas producing these charming, tiny white flowers with purple markings. Flower diameter 15 - 20 mm. Australia,Australian native violet,Flora,Geotagged,Malpighiales,Viola banksii,Violaceae,Winter,botany,macro,new south wales

Appearance

This species is distinguished by its striking purple and white flowers. As well, the fully developed leaves are almost circular in outline with a deep, narrow, v-shaped sinus at the base, and are usually rather bright, fresh green.
Bank's Violet - Viola banksii Australia,Bank's Violet,Flower,Land Cove,New South Wales,Plant,Viola banksii

Naming

Although the Native Violet was initially collected by Banks and Solander, the type specimen was either lost or not provided until a collection by Jacques Labillardière in Tasmania. Thiele discovered that the original type specimen of "V. hederacea" collected by Labillardière was not the same as the hardier and showier plant later collected, cultivated and widely sold. This second form, native to the east coast from near Brisbane to Batemans Bay, he named "Viola banksii".

Habitat

Cultivated widely, "Viola banksii" is at some risk of becoming naturalised in some areas. One such population has been recorded at Mount Donna Buang near Melbourne.

References:

Some text fragments are auto parsed from Wikipedia.

Taxonomy
KingdomPlantae
DivisionAngiosperms
ClassEudicots
OrderMalpighiales
FamilyViolaceae
GenusViola
SpeciesV. banksii
Photographed in
Australia