Viola lutea


Viola lutea, also known as the mountain pansy, is a species of violet that grows in Europe, from the British Isles to the Balkans.

Description

Viola lutea grows to a height of around. Its flowers are in diameter, and are typically yellow, although some individuals may have blue, purple or blotched flowers instead.

Taxonomy

Viola lutea was first described by William Hudson in his 1762 Flora Anglica.

Distribution

Viola lutea subsp. lutea is native to central and north-western Europe, from the British Isles to Austria; another subspecies occurs further east, from Hungary to the Balkans. Within Great Britain, V. lutea is found only in upland areas north of a line drawn between the Severn and Humber estuaries; it ranges in altitude from in Derbyshire to in Breadalbane. In Ireland, its distribution is more scattered geographically, and ranges vertically from sea level in County Clare to in the Wicklow Mountains.