Viola arvensis

Field pansy ( Viola arvensis)

The field pansy ( Viola arvensis) is a flowering plant in the genus violets ( Viola ) within the family of Violet Family ( Violaceae ). Due to the increasing use of herbicides in agriculture are increasingly competing with herbicide- resistant representatives who can often reach a height of 1 m.

Description

The field pansy is a herbaceous plant, only to 20 cm reaches the heights of growth of most. This species is in contrast to most other violets green summer annual. Only rarely also appear two-year populations. The whole plant is hairy only loose short. It does not form underground runners, there are some to 45 cm deep roots before. The spreading of the largest leaves are on both sides almost always provided with 5 scores. The leaves are cut or notched and broadly ovate. The upright stipules have an enlarged end portion which resembles the leaf blade.

The hermaphrodite flowers are zygomorphic. The pale yellow corolla is 10-24 mm long. The lower petal is often whitish and with the blue notches. It blooms from April to October.

This plant is pollinated by insects, often self-pollination has also been observed. It forms from durable seeds that are usually only spread itself.

Name

The term " pansy " is supposed to be similar to the following features: The two upper petals are considered stepdaughters, the two side and the daughters of the enlarged lower petal with the striking blue notch to represent the mother.

Use

The drug can be used by the proportion of salicylic acid for headaches, saponins and mucilage substances can cure skin diseases. In folk medicine, it is also intended to relieve cough and sore throat.

Occurrence

The field pansy grows in dry locations such as fields, waste places, edges of fields. Such sites are usually nutrient- rich, nitrogen- saturated and base- rich. Not infrequently, however, it is also found on sand dumps. It is quite often spread throughout Germany, only in the Alps and in the low mountain ranges, it is rare. The field pansy grows in the rest of Europe and West Asia. In Europe it is considered archaeophyte. It is considered synanthropic and was probably introduced by humans since the Middle Ages.