Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Viola canina in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 935 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
Today: The current name for this species is Viola canina L.
original Latin diagnosis
Viola caule demum adscendente, foliis oblongo-cordatis.
English translation
Viola with a stem in the end (temporally) adscending; [and] with leaf blades oblong-cordate.
| Viola | Viola |
| with a stem | caule - ablative singular of third declension masculine noun caulis, caulis |
| in the end (temporally) | demum - adverb |
| ascending; | adscendente - ablative singular masculine of present active participle of third conjugation verb adscendo, adscendere, adscendi, adscendsum; modifies caule |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| with leaf blades | foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, folii |
| oblong-cordate. | oblongo-cordatis = oblongo- (combining form of group A adjective oblongus, -a, -um) + cordatis (ablative plural neuter of group A adjective cordatus, -a, -um); modifies foliis |