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The "Yakushima-sumire" (Viola iwagawae) belongs to Violaceae (the Violet family). It is a perennial herb that is found on Yakushima Island, as well as on Amami Oshima and Tokunoshima in the Amami Islands, and in the northern part of Okinawa Island. It grows on damp rocks in mountainous areas and along mountain streams, reaching a height of 2 to 4 cm. The leaves are triangular to heart-shaped, 5 to 15 mm long, with slightly rounded serrations along the edges. Around May, it extends a flower stalk and produces white flowers with a faint purplish tinge. The labellum is smaller than the other petals, and the base of the lateral petals is hairy. The fruit is an elliptical capsule, 3-5 mm long.
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