[split] Viola manuscript images

[Koen G]

Thanks for the examples, Marco.

I agree that odorata is likely irrelevant to this discussion, and I agree with JKP that if the VM plant is not some kind of combination, then the best option is Viola tricolor, as the plant is (I think) traditionally identified.

I was merely trying to wrap my head around paradoxical situation. The flowers of the VM plant give it away 100% as a viola, but the combination of the typical viola shape with this habit is apparently not found in any herbal tradition. 

If I recall correctly, JKP wrote before that he thinks the plant may have been drawn from herbarium specimen (this idea may be older, I don't know). I can see where this is coming from: the flower of Viola tricolor is hanging from its stem, so if you were to flatten the specimen, the flower would become oriented as it is in the VM.

But then on the other hand, at least to me, the VM large plants look more like they are based on herbal illustrations rather than drawn from real life.