common dog-violet vs wonder violet

Viola riviniana compared with Viola mirabilis

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	common dog-violet	wonder violet
Kingdom same	Plantae (plantas)	Plantae (plantas)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order same	Malpighiales (Malpighiales)	Malpighiales (Malpighiales)
Family same	Violaceae	Violaceae
Genus same	Viola	Viola
Species	Viola riviniana	Viola mirabilis

Evolutionary Relationship

common dog-violet and wonder violet share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Viola.

Conservation Status

common dog-violet

LC — Least Concern

wonder violet

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	common dog-violet	wonder violet
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

common dog-violet

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (7 countries), North America (Canada), and Oceania and the Pacific (Australia).

wonder violet

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden.

common dog-violet

<em>Viola riviniana</em>, the common dog-violet, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Violaceae. This species is widely distributed across Europe, including records from seven European countries, as well as Canada and Australia, where it occupies diverse terrestrial habitats such as woodlands, hedgerows, grasslands, and moorlands. The common dog-violet is characterized by its heart-shaped leaves and violet-blue, spurred flowers that typically bloom from spring through early summer. Unlike many violets, its flowers are unscented. <em>Viola riviniana</em> often spreads both by seed and vegetatively via rhizomes, forming patches in suitable habitats. This species is an important larval food plant for several fritillary butterfly species, making it ecologically significant for butterfly conservation in Britain and Europe. It generally favors well-drained, slightly acidic soils in partially shaded environments. The common dog-violet is assessed as Least Concern, with stable populations across most of its range. Its adaptation to a variety of woodland and grassland habitats contributes to its widespread occurrence.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇫🇮 Finland 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden