what type of mulch did you use? I have seen a "growth" as you describe, growing in old wood chips. I have always assumed it was a fungus of some sort. Perhaps this growth was a result of your mulch and the violet is trying valiantly to grow up through it??
just a guess.
vicki

It wasn't a mold thing. I used standard shredded hardwood mulch. This thing was the crown of the violet.

I saw this too! Mine are common violets, I scavenged two large clumps last year and have them at the corners. When I started cleaning up last month or so, I found these hard clumps where the violets had been. They aren't blooming yet, just putting up leaves. But I didn't notice the hard clump. Kinda looked like iris corms poking up, had never noticed it before.

I used compost for mulch, also fallen leaves. This wasn't the dog vomit fungus. I'll check mine tomorrow, see if the hard crown is still there.

The crown of the common purple violet (Viola sororia) normally looks kinda "brainy" to me, when it has no leaves. There are fattened stems all clumped together and pointing in different directions, right at the surface of the soil. There are marks (lines/wrinkles) across the stems, where the leaves had once been attached. Is this what you're seeing??