An annual of cultivated fields and sandy, grassy places, this little Pansy has the pretty 5-petalled flowers so commonly known in garden settings, but smaller, more like what are known in gardens as 'Violas'. These flowers (10-25mm across) come in many combinations of yellow, white and violet-blue and are backed with a short spur. They bloom from April to November. The alternate leaves are oval with a heart-shaped base and toothed margin and there are pinnately lobed leaf-like stipules. This is a native plant which belongs to the family Violaceae.
My first record of this plant is from Abbey Island, Co Kerry in 1977 and I photographed it at Ballyteigue, Co Wexford in 2007.
If you are satisfied you have correctly identified this plant, please submit your sighting to the National Biodiversity Data Centre
