Résumé
The determination of the karyotypes of two cultivars of sweet-smelling Violets, well-known and commercially widely used presently and in the past, the Violet of Toulouse, Viola 'Parme de Toulouse', and V. Tourrettes sur Loup' or V. 'Reine Victoria', brings new elements on their taxonomic relationships with European wild Violets taxa. The finding of 2n = 20 chromosomes in Viola 'Parme de Toulouse' rules out identity with the wild species V. suavis, suggested by Timbal-Lagrave in the XIX
th
century and currently admitted until now. This karyotype would connect this cultivar with one of the two other sweet-smelling wild species, V. odorata and V. alba or one of their hybrids. Conversely, the finding of 2n = 40 chromosomes in Viola Tourrettes sur Loup' eliminates any relationship with 21/odorata, as was recently published. Rather, a close relation to V. suavis, the only species with 2n = 40 in this group, is suggested.