Viola eizanensis; Ezo violet
A species of violet native to Japan, often found in mountainous areas. The name refers to Ezo (old name for Hokkaido).
See also: エイザンスミレ
The Ezo violet blooms pale purple flowers in spring.
I found an Ezo violet on the mountain path.
Standard katakana spelling for this plant name.
Kanji spelling is rare; the plant name is usually written in katakana.
Compound of 蝦夷 (Ezo, old name for Hokkaido) and 菫 (sumire, violet). The exact origin of the name is uncertain, but it likely refers to the plant's distribution or discovery in northern Japan.