The strap leaved Viola spathulata is thriving in the tufa wall that forms the backdrop to the alpine shelter here at RBGE. A native to cliff faces in Iran where the roots push into hairline rock crevices to gain a secure hold and draw up moisture to ensure survival. Here the individual tufa rocks were bound together to replicate these natural limestone landscapes where distinctive flora’s develop.

Covered in the typical viola flowers, V. spathulata is composed of five petals, four facing upwards and the fifth pointing down. Light mauve in colour with a darker colouration in the throat.