Seasonal Wild Flowers

Common Dog-violet

Viola riviniana

Violaceae

March to May and July to September

It is found throughout the country,

See the BSBI distribution map for Common Dog-violet

Common Dog-violet is one of our commonest wild violets.

It grows in woods, hedges and most types of grassland,

including lawns, where it is a weed.

It is a native, perennial, low growing herb.

Flowers are violet blue (occasionally white), up to 18mm

across and with overlapping petals.

They have a thick, grooved, curved and cream-coloured

spur.

The orange anthers envelope the ovary.

The sryle is fleshy and the stigma capitate.

The sepals are lanceolate and the basal appendages

square-shaped.

Leaves are heart-shaped and as broad as long.

Common Dog-violets and leaves

Close-up of flower with grooved white spur

Close-up of fleshy style and capitate stigma

Pointed sepals with basal appendages

Leaves

Single plant - stems, leaves and flowers

White variety

Spur, sepals and appendages of white variety