The Botany of Iceland - 01.12.1942, Page 298
296
JOHS. GRONTVED
There has been much doubt as to the identity of the Icelandic Wood Violet.
The material kept in H.H. is very sparse, consisting of partly sterile samples, from
seven localities only, see fig. 126. Dr. J. C. Clausen, who years ago examined the
material has placed it under V. Riviniana (Lam.) Rchb. It would, however, be
desirable to have new and more copious material at hand for a closer investigation.
Japetus Steenstrup seems to have been the first to collect it in Iceland, in the years
1840—41 (cp. St.St., 1924, loc. cit.).
Life-form: H.
In scrub, Calluna-heath.
Flor. VII; fr. mat. VII.
Max. height: 20 cm ; average : 13 cm.
Geogr. area: Eur. : Fær. ; E.S.I. ; throughout Eur. from 69°42' N. in Norway and
southward to the Mediterranean.—Asia: (subsp. neglecta (Bieb.) W. Becker) Asia
Minor, Caucasus, Persia.
Viola ruþestris Schm. (Syn. V. arenaria (DC.)).
H.H. contains a specimen labelled : “Icelandia ded. Hornemann”, and determined
by W. Becker 1906 as this species. W. Becker writes on the label: „deutlich an der
Behaarung und den breit. Nebenblatter kenntlich”.
It is flowering, about 5 cm high.
As no locality is given, it is somewhat doubtful, whether the plant is found in
Iceland at all.
293. Viola tricolor Linn., Sp. pl. ed. I (1753) p. 935.
K. & M., 1770, p. 210.—Babington, 1871, p. 296,-—Gronlund, Isl. FI., 1881,
p. 40.—Stefánsson, Fl. ísl., ed. 1, 1901, p. 114.—Ibid., ed. 2, 1924, p. 128.—
O. & Gr., 1934, p. 76.
Flora Dan. tab. 623.
Fig. 127. Viola tricolor L.