Family: violets (Violaceae)
Flowering time: April–May
Size: 10–25 cm
Habitat: forests
Rivin's violet (Viola riviniana) has a well-developed leafy stem, in addition to basal leaves. Its leaves with a pronounced heart-shaped base and serrated margins are about as wide as they are long. Like the stem, the leaves are usually hairless. If we look at its bluish-violet flower up close, we notice that the spur is lighter than the rest of the corolla. The spur is a hollow cylindrical appendage that usually contains nectar – a reward for pollinators. The end of the spur in Rivin's violet is usually bent upward. Through a magnifying glass we also see that its ovary and (later) fruits are hairless. An important characteristic of this species is also the conspicuous, 2–3 mm long appendages on the rear part of the sepals.
Rivin's violet thrives in partial shade, on nitrogen-rich soils throughout Slovenia.
