Common Speedwell

(Veronica officinalis)

 

   

 

 

Color Photograph: Copyright Nearctica.com, Inc.

Line Drawing: Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada, Second Edition.

 

Common Speedwell (Veronica officinalis L.)

Alien: Native of Europe.

Identification: Plant crawling along the ground, but sending up erect flower stalks. Flowers light blue with darker blue streaks. Flower with 4 petals, lower petal smaller than the 2 lateral and apical ones. Stamens and pistil long and spreading. Flowers arranged in close, erect flower spikes with distinct flower stalks for each flower (raceme). Stem hairy. Leaves large, hairy, ovate, but tapering to a distinct petiole. Outer leaf margin with teeth. Plant 3 to 10 inches tall.

Distribution: Across Canada and the northeren United States. Extends southward in the east to Georgia and in the west to California.

Habitat: Common Speedwell is found in dry woods and fields.

Flowering period: May to September.

Similar Species: The combination of the flowers in racemes, the crawling stems, and the petiolate leaves will usually identify this species.

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