わが国の各地をはじめ、台湾や朝鮮半島、中国それに南千島に分布しています。人里近くの道端や堤防など、やや乾燥したところに生え、高さは7〜15センチになります。葉は卵状長楕円形で、葉柄には翼があります。4月から5月ごろ、濃紫色の花を咲かせます。側弁の基部には毛が生えます。和名は、大工さんの使う墨入れに花のかたちが似ていることから。花色や毛の有無には変異が大きいようです。台湾華語では「紫花地丁」、中国名では「東北菫菜(dong bei jin cai)」。
The Manchurian violet (Viola mandshurica) belongs to Violaceae (the Viola family). It is a perennial herb that is distributed throughout Japan, Taiwan, the Korean Peninsula, China, and the southern Kuril Islands. It grows in rather dry places such as roadsides and embankments near human settlements and grows 7 to 15 cm tall. It produces dark purple flowers from April to May. The base of the lateral petals is covered with hairs. The Japanese name comes from the flower's resemblance to an inkwell used by carpenters. There seems to be a great deal of variation in flower color and the presence or absence of hairs. In Taiwanese, it is called "紫花地丁"; in Chinese, it is called "東北菫菜" (dong bei jin cai).