FIELD VIOLET 
Viola rafinesquit Greene 
The field violet is one of the daintiest members of the Violet 
Family. It prefers the drier fields and open woods, and because it so 
frequently is found growing in the grass, and has such a pale color, 
it is easily overlooked. Field violet is a winter annual, and growing 
day by day as the weather permits, it is one of the earliest violets 
to bloom in spring. It soon withers when the hot summer sun 
strikes it. It 1s more closely related to some of the European violets 
than to other American species, as shown by the large stipules at 
the base of the leaves. When freshly pulled the roots have the odor 
and taste of wintergreen. 
Field violet extends from Georgia to Texas, and northward to 
New York and Michigan. 
The specimen sketched was obtained in the National Zoological 
Park at Washington, District of Columbia. 
PLATE 211 
