Viola alba
Violet Μενεξέ
Poaceae - grass family Monocot.
In early spring in a shaded valley near to abandoned dwellings of Pera Karia* the delightful deep purple violets can be found. The species name alba is a misnomer in this case, white variants do occur but I have never seen them in Skopelos.
Dioscorides called the violet Ion and described it as “a little flower , very sweet, of a purple.” He expained that the plant was cooling and used against inflammation of the eyes amongst other disorders.
Viola - the Latin name for the flower
alba -latin for white
Aphrodite, Eros and Violets
Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, asked her son Eros to point out the most beautiful wman he could see, expecting him to indicate her. Instead he chose one of a group of young girls playing close by. Aphrodite was angry and turned the girls into violets.
