Viola is a genus of flowering plants in the violet family Violaceae, with around 400 – 500 species distributed around the world. Most species are found in the temperate Northern Hemisphere; however, viola species (commonly called violets, pansies or heartsease) are also found in widely divergent areas such as Hawaii, Australasia, and the Andes in South America. Viola species typically have heart-shaped, scalloped leaves, though a number have palmate leaves or other shapes.