Sweet violet
Scientific name: Viola suavis
Family name: Violaceae
MORPHOLOGY
Habit and dimensions: perennial herbaceous plant with overwintering buds at ground level.
Stem: elongated and light green in color.
Leaves: arranged in a basal rosette, more or less hairy. They have an ovate or cordate blade, with irregular and finely crenate margins.
Flowers: blue, violet, or light blue in color, very fragrant. They have five petals and five unequal sepals. Flowering occurs between February and May.
Fruits and seeds: globose capsule carried by a curved peduncle. The seeds are small, around 2 millimeters in size, and light brown in color.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT
Native to Southern Europe, particularly the Balkan Peninsula. Present in almost all regions of Italy, except for the islands and the southernmost regions, it thrives up to subalpine levels, reaching altitudes of up to 1,600 meters. It is found in grassy places, such as fields, fallow lands, or in forests and thickets.
USE
No known use.
INTERESTING FACTS
The specific epithet means pleasant, attractive, fragrant. The species is also called Adriatic violet.
Photo: Under the free license of Saxifraga – Ed Stikvoort and Jam Willem Jongepier
