Luontoportti

The Violet family (Violaceae) is comprised of 21 genera and 800 species around the world. Most of these are herb-stemmed plants but the family also includes dwarf shrubs and climbers. In Finland the family is represented by only one genus (Viola), which is comprised of around 15 feral species, all of which are herb-stemmed and biennial at most. Different kinds of more or less cultivated garden varieties and hybrids can also be found in the wild. The Violet family is characterised by their violet-like (slightly zygomorphic) flowers, which have a shortish spur.