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Stemmed or stemless? Stemmed refers to those violets whose leaves and flowers grow off of the same stem, such as the Canada Violet, with a stipule (tiny leaf) at the joint, or axil. Stemless refers to those whose leaves and flowers arise out of the ground from the root on separate stems. A leaf stalk is called a petiole and a flower stalk is called a peduncle. These and a stipule are indicated on the diagrams.
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Violets are usually blue, purple, yellow, or white and combinations of all. Look carefully for small details such as shading toward the center and veining (small lines on the petals--see photo above).
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Look for tiny tufts of fur, called beards, on the insides of the petals near the center. A magnifying glass may be handy here. Not all violets have beards. The beards are clearly visible in the photo above on the lateral, or side petals. Some species also have beards on the lower petal as well.
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Check the leaf shape. Violets have several different leaf shapes depending on the species, and to complicate matters, individuals of some species may show variations in leaf shape, especially as the leaves mature. Cordate (heart-shaped) is probably the most common shape, with variations in roundness, length, taper, etc.. Ovate (oblong), palmate (fingers or lobes), lanceolate (long and thin) are examples of other common shapes.
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Check for hairiness of the stems and leaves. Violets of any single species will usually be either hairy or smooth. Hairiness is referred to as pubescence. But, so it's not too easy, some species may be either.
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