Underground flowers in violets

Violets have two kinds of flowers. Some of their flowers grow aboveground, and others, like the ones shown here, live out their life cycle under the surface. These cleistogamous flowers are self-fertilizing. This kind of flower is found in many species, but they contribute to the potential weediness of violets in designed landscapes. Between spreading vegetatively and their cleistogamous flowers, violets can be an unwanted pest in the garden.

 

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For more scientific literature on cleistogamous flowers see:

 

Madge, M. A. P. 1929. Spermatogenesis and fertilization in the cleistogamous flower of viola odorata. Annals of Botany 43: 545-577.

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