Common Dog-violet

Description:

Viola riviniana, the Common Dog-violet, is a species of the genus Viola. It is also called wood violet or dog violet. It is a perennial herb of woodland rides, grassland and shady hedge banks. It is found in all soils except acid or very wet. It is a perennial, which flowers from April to June. Its leaves are heart shaped with rounded teeth and are usually hairless. It has 2 slender bracts, 6 sepals spear shaped lobed at the base, 5 overlapping petals with a backward pointing spur. Once the flower has been fertilised, the spur will split into 3 to reveal the egg shaped seeds - see Viola description. Toothed stipules can be found at the base of the plant.