| Viola riviniana | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Violaceae |
| Genus: | Viola |
| Species: | V. riviniana |
| Binomial name | |
| Viola riviniana | |
Viola riviniana, thecommon dog-violet, is a species of flowering plant in the family Violaceae, native to Eurasia and Africa.[1] It is also calledwood violet[1] anddog violet.[1] It inhabits woodland edges, grassland and shady hedge banks. It is found in all soils except those which are acid or very wet.
Growing to 10 cm (3.9 in) tall and 50 cm (20 in) broad, this prostrateperennial has dark green, heart-shaped leaves and produces multiple violet coloured flowers in May and June.[2]
Viola riviniana was voted thecounty flower ofLincolnshire in 2002, following a poll by the wild plant conservation charityPlantlife.[3]
Common in Ireland[4] and all the British Isles.[5]
It is the food plant of thepearl bordered fritillary,small pearl-bordered fritillary,silver-washed fritillary andhigh brown fritillary butterflies.
It is a known host of thepathogenic fungusPuccinia violae.[6]
This species hybridises withearly dog-violet (V. reichenbachiana) to produceViola ×bavarica.
Media related toViola riviniana at Wikimedia Commons
