I have several nice patches of a couple of violet species in my yard but not these Bird’s-foot Violet (Viola pedata) which I noticed walking back to my car while at the Quabbin this past Sunday morning. They were so vivid even from a distance.
05.12.2015 Blue for Tuesday
This entry was posted in Closeup Photography, Flora, Nature Photography, Quabbin, Western Massachusetts, Wildflowers and tagged Bird's Foot Violet, native plants, native wildflowers, Quabbin, Quabbin wildflowers, Viola pedata, violet. Bookmark the permalink.
Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
That blue is really rich. Thanks for the morning color. We have grey skies so far. It is supposed to turn blue later.
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Glad to add a little color to a blah begiining of you day. The last few days started as yours today and became much bluer as the hours passed. Tomorrow’s image will be from one of those starts.
We have one more mid-80s day. 20 degrees less warm tomorrow.
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If I noticed violets walking back to my car I’d be doubly surprised and wonder how they ever managed to walk away from the car in the first place. (Do you remember Groucho Marx playing a big-game hunter in Animal Crackers: “One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I don’t know.”)
Flippancy aside, the vividness that you mention certainly comes through in your portrait. Do you happen to know what prompted the name bird’s-foot for this species?
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Yep, I remember Groucho’s line well.
As far as I know, the plant gets its name from the shape of the leaves. And I think it should be plural…Bird’s-foot.
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I found a picture that shows the leaves:
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/FullImageDisplay.aspx?documentid=2460
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I should have got the plural on the first go-round. I hope you don’t mind that I corrected it in the post and your comment as well.
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I frequently correct things in people’s comments on my posts, so I don’t mind.
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They really just have an air of special-ness about them, don’t they? Do you see Fritillary butterflies with them later in the season? It amazes me that such a small plant could be host plant to such a large butterfly.
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It’s amazing to me that the closer we get to nature the more special it becomes. Distance somehow takes that away and we often ignore the details that give it such a wonderful quality.
I have not seen frits or any other butterfly on the violets…but that only means I’ve not been observant enough most likely. 🙂
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I have never seen them on the plant, either, Steve. Not as caterpillars feeding nor as adults nectaring or laying eggs. I’m just taking it on faith from what I’ve been taught
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If I were to see these, I’d never imagine them as violets. Apparently my conception of what a violet looks like is limited. The color’s lovely, though, and those leaves really are special. They do look like heron or egret prints, especially.
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Violets do vary a bit, but they basically have the same five petal shape…bilaterally symmetrical with one that is lower and can be divided in half for the symmetry. The species most people think of are the ones with heart-shaped leaves, but they do vary and this one in particular is quite attractive, I think.
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That is a dynamic color! Excellent
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It sure is and it stopped me in my tracks. Thanks, Phil.
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Bird’s-foot Violet certainly is a dainty beauty. I’m glad that you have some in your yard. I surely would feel honored to have some if they grew in my neck of the woods but no, they do not. But we have one native called Viola Missouriensis and I have a few of those that I’ve had for years.
Your photo of this little beauty is outstanding with the blue color perfectly captured.
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They certainly are lovely plants, both the flower and the foliage. Thanks, Yvonne.
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Pretty spectacular Steve. I found some pretty small blue flowers yesterday. I thought they might be orchids – turned out to be of the vetch family 😂
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Thanks, Andrew. Too bad they were not orchids. Vetch vexes me. I brought some home once which was a big mistake…took years to remove it after it started to take over.
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Oh I have plenty of invasive species Steve. I am finding Hazel everywhere. I need to cut some of it back.
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