Common Name:

General Information

Viola pilosa is a rather variable, herbaceous perennial plant producing a rosette of leaves and prostrate stems up to 100cm long that root at some nodes[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine, and possibly also as a food. It is a commonly used medicinal herb in India, where it is gathered in quantity from the wild for local use and for trade[].

Known Hazards

All members of this genus have more or less edible leaves and flower buds, though those species with yellow flowers can cause diarrhoea if eaten in large quantities[, , ]. The flowers of this species are purple to white[].

Botanical References

,

Range

Asia - Afghanistan, southern China, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia

Habitat

Grasslands, alpine woods, pathsides; at elevations from 1,100 - 3,300 metres in Maleysia[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.10 m
Pollinators	Insects, Cleistogamous
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Viola pilosa has a wide native range from the warm temperate zone of southern China into the tropics of Thailand and Indonesia (where it is usually found at elevations over 1,000 metres)[].
Species in this genus generally prefer a cool moist well-drained humus-rich soil in partial or dappled shade and protection from scorching winds. They can tolerate sandstone and limestone soils but become chlorotic if the pH is too high. They prefer a pH between 6 and 6.5[].
The flowers have a pleasant fragrance[].
All members of this genus have more or less edible leaves and flower buds, though those species with yellow flowers can cause diarrhoea if eaten in large quantities[, , ].
Like several other members of this genus, this species has two types of flower. The first type has petals and is pollinated by insects, the second type, known as cleistogamous, does not have petals, never opens, but self-fertilizes and produces fertile seed[].

Edible Uses

Flowers - raw[].

Young leaves and flower buds - raw or cooked. We have no specific references for this species, though several reports state that Viola leaves in general are edible[, , ].

Medicinal

Viola pilosa is a commonly used medicinal herb in India where it is often used in much the same ways as the sweet violet (Viola odorata)[]. The aerial parts of the plant, especially the flowers, are generally taken as a diuretic and expectorant, and are also said to be antiinflammatory, antipyretic and diaphoretic. They are used in the treatment of catarrhal and pulmonary affections, and also to treat diseases of the liver and intestines[, ].

An infusion of the flowers is used to treat headaches[].
A distillation of the flowers is an effective treatment against flu and the common cold[].

A medicinal oil used in traditional Unani medicine, and known as 'Roghan-e-Banafashaa', is prepared from the plant[].

The active principle of the herb is an alkaloid, 'violine'[].

Other Uses

A distillation of the flowers is used to flavour breath fresheners[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in the autumn in a cold frame. Sow stored seed in early spring in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer.
Division in the autumn or just after flowering. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions, though we have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring.