Field pansy

This wee weed, Viola arvensis, is one of my favourites. It's a close relative of heartsease (Viola tricolor), one of the species that gave rise to all the cultivars of pansies, Viola x wittrockiana (named after the Swedish botanist Veit Wittrock).

Apparently it oozes out some kind of growth retardant that prevent other plants to come too near. :-) Also, it contains stuff that may be used against human cancer cells. The wonders of nature!

Cheers/Z