Early Dog-violet

Viola reichenbachiana, also known as the early dog-violet, pale wood violet, slender wood violet, hedge violet, or wood dog violet, is a species of flowering plant in the Viola genus. This species hybridises with Viola riviniana, the common dog-violet, to produce Viola × bavarica. The plant is named after the 19th-century botanist Ludwig Reichenbach. It is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial that is widely known for its purple petals, and it typically resides along road banks or among other rich vegetation, as other wild pansies do. The name dog violet refers to its lack of scent, making it supposedly only fit for dogs.