Veronica filiformis

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Veronica filiformis
Slender Speedwell (Veronica filiformis).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Plantaginaceae
Genus: Veronica
Species:
V. filiformis
Binomial name
Veronica filiformis
Sm.
Typical spreading form Veronica filiformis RF.jpg
Typical spreading form
Veronica filiformis flower Slender Speedwell (49205201821).jpg
Veronica filiformis flower

Veronica filiformis is a species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae. It is known by many common names, including slender speedwell, creeping speedwell, threadstalk speedwell and Whetzel weed. It is native to eastern Europe and western Asia, and it is known in many other regions as an introduced species.

Contents

Description

V. filiformis is a rhizomatous perennial herb producing mats of hairy stems that readily root at nodes that touch substrate. It is self-sterile and rarely seeds, being spread by stolons. [1] The corolla of V. filiformis is four-lobed and blueish with a white tip, around 8–10 mm in diameter, the top lobe being largest since it is actually a fusion of two lobes. At the center are two long, protruding stamens. Solitary flowers occur in leaf axils. They are on relatively long, slender stalks that arise from the leaf axils, and appear between April and July. The leaves, found near the base of the stem, are 5–10 mm across, rounded or kidney-shaped with blunt teeth and short stalks, and smaller on distal parts. [2] It is perennial. [3] In Ireland, the plant was sewn into the clothing of travellers for good luck. [4]

Photographic examples can be seen on iNaturalist.

Similar species - the smallness of the leaves (smaller than the flower or of similar size and rather round in shape) and carpeting habit generally distinguish it from similar species such as Veronica persica, Veronica polita, Veronica agrestis and Veronica ceratocarpa.

Status and habitat

A native to northern Turkey and the Caucasus, [5] V. filiformis was introduced to the United Kingdom from Turkey in 1808 as a rock garden plant and was first reported as an escape in 1838. [6] It was introduced to the United States nursery trade in the 1920s. [7] It can sometimes be considered a nuisance in lawns, [8] sod, and turf. It is found in gardens, grassy paths and in meadows, [6] where it prefers shade, moist soils, good fertility and a low mowing height.

It reproduces asexually by resprouting from separated sections of stem and rhizome and easily takes hold in new habitat. [9] The plant is used as groundcover in gardens, and valued for its pretty blue flowers, but it is easily dispersed into the environment if it is chopped up, during mowing, for example. [10] It is still cultivated, sold, and used in gardening.

Identification

V. filiformis is similar to other Veronica species, such as V. arvensis and V. chamaedrys , but can be distinguished by the size of its leaves and lack of seed capsules. [1]

Common names

V. filiformis is known by the following common names:

Related Research Articles

<i>Veronica</i> (plant) Genus of flowering plants in the family Plantaginaceae

Veronica is the largest genus in the flowering plant family Plantaginaceae, with about 500 species. It was formerly classified in the family Scrophulariaceae. Common names include speedwell, bird's eye, and gypsyweed.

<i>Veronica persica</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae

Veronica persica is a flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae. Common names include birdeye speedwell, common field-speedwell, Persian speedwell, large field speedwell, bird's-eye, or winter speedwell. It is native to Eurasia and is widespread as an introduced species in the British Isles, North America, eastern Asia, including Japan and China, and Australia and New Zealand.

<i>Poa annua</i> Species of plant

Poa annua, or annual meadow grass, is a widespread low-growing turfgrass in temperate climates. Notwithstanding the reference to annual plant in its name, perennial bio-types do exist. This grass originated as a hybrid between Poa supina and Poa infirma. Major chromosomal rearrangements after polyploidy have contributed to variation in genome size in Poa annua.

<i>Veronica arvensis</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae

Veronica arvensis, common names: wall speedwell, corn speedwell, common speedwell, rock speedwell, field speedwell, is an annual flowering plant in the plantain family Plantaginaceae. The species is native to Europe and a common weed in gardens, pastures, waste places, and cultivated land.

<i>Veronica agrestis</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae

Veronica agrestis, the green field-speedwell is a species of flowering plant in the Plantaginaceae (Plantain) family. It is native to Europe, western Asia and North Africa, and has been introduced to eastern North America, India and some other countries.

<i>Veronica hederifolia</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae

Veronica hederifolia, the ivy-leaved speedwell, is a flowering plant belonging to the family Plantaginaceae. It is native to Europe, western Asia and north Africa and it is present in other places as an introduced species and a common weed. Solitary blue flowers occur in leaf axils, each with a corolla up to one centimetre (0.4 in) wide. The fruit is a dehiscent capsule.

<i>Veronica polita</i> Species of flowering plant in the plantain family Plantaginaceae

Veronica polita, the grey field-speedwell is a species of flowering plant in the Plantaginaceae (Plantain) family. It is native to Europe, south western Asia, North Africa, the Arabian Penninsula and a few nearby countries, and has been introduced to many countries worldwide particularly as a weed of cultivation.

<i>Campanula rapunculoides</i> Species of flowering plant

Campanula rapunculoides, known by the common names creeping bellflower, rampion bellflower, rover bellflower, garden bluebell, creeping bluebell, purple bell, garden harebell, and creeping campanula, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Campanula, belonging to the family Campanulaceae. Native to central and southern Europe and west Asia, in some parts of North America it is an extremely invasive species.

<i>Veronica peduncularis</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae

Veronica peduncularis, the creeping speedwell, is a flowering plant in the plantain family, Plantaginaceae. Listed under its synonym Veronica umbrosa, its cultivar 'Georgia Blue' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

<i>Veronica serpyllifolia</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae

Veronica serpyllifolia, the thyme-leaved speedwell or thymeleaf speedwell, is a perennial flowering plant in the plantain family. The species as a whole is native mostly to Eurasia & North America, and has three variants with their individual ranges; var. serpyllifolia has particularly spread beyond its native range.

<i>Veronica derwentiana</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae

Veronica derwentiana, commonly known as Derwent speedwell, is a flowering plant species of the family Plantaginaceae, endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a perennial with toothed leaves and white or pale blue flowers in terminal sprays in spring and summer.

<i>Veronica anagallis-aquatica</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae

Veronica anagallis-aquatica is a species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae known by the common names water speedwell, blue water-speedwell,brook pimpernel.

<i>Veronica scutellata</i> Species of flowering plant

Veronica scutellata is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family known by the common names marsh speedwell, skullcap speedwell, and grassleaf speedwell. It is native to temperate Asia, Europe, northern Africa, and northern North America in a variety of wet habitats.

<i>Veronica triphyllos</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae

Veronica triphyllos is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family known by the common name finger speedwell, or fingered speedwell. It is native to Europe, western Asia and NW Africa, but introduced to some parts of the United States.

<i>Veronica perfoliata</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae

Veronica perfoliata, commonly known as digger's speedwell, is a common perennial herb found at higher altitudes in south-eastern Australia. It is a low-growing multi-stemmed plant rising from a woody rootstock. It has rounded blue-grey foliage and sprays of intense violet-blue flowers at the end of arching branches. It is occasionally cultivated as a garden plant.

<i>Veronica gracilis</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae

Veronica gracilis is a plant belonging to the family Plantaginaceae, commonly known as slender speedwell. It is a perennial herb with slender branches, variable shaped leaves and small lilac flowers in spring and summer.

<i>Veronica montana</i> Species of flowering plant

Veronica montana or wood speedwell is a perennial species of flowering plant from the genus Veronica. It also belongs to the family Plantaginaceae.

<i>Phyla canescens</i> Species of flowering plant

Phyla canescens is a species of perennial herbaceous plant in the family Verbenaceae, native to South America. It has been introduced to Australia as an ornamental plant and low-maintenance lawn, but has become naturalised and is considered a serious environmental weed. It is known by several common names including carpet weed, Condamine couch, Condamine curse, fog fruit, frog fruit, hairy fogfruit, lippia, mat grass and no-mow grass.

<i>Veronica catenata</i> Species of plant in the genus Veronica

Veronica catenata, the pink water speedwell, is a species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae. It is native to Canada, the United States, Europe, the Azores, and northern Africa. As its common name implies, it prefers growing in or near marshes, rivers, lakes and ponds.

Veronica crista-galli, the crested field-speedwell, is an annual flower in the family Plantaginaceae native from Iran north to the North Caucasus.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Creeping Speedwell — Veronica filiformis". Michigan State University. Archived from the original on 18 April 2010. Retrieved 16 April 2010.
  2. Sterry, Paul (2006). Collins Complete Guide to British Wild Flowers. London: HarperCollins. p. 176. ISBN   978-0-00-723684-8.
  3. Parnell, J. and Curtis, T. 2012. Webb's An Irish Flora Cork University Press ISBN   978-185918-4783
  4. "Slender Speedwell - Veronica filiformis". Weed Free. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  5. "Veronica filiformis". Derby City Council. Retrieved 16 April 2010.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Slender speedwell". Garden Organic. October 2007. Archived from the original on 20 October 2007. Retrieved 16 April 2010.
  7. Sankey, John. "Herbicidal Activity of the Leaves of Veronica filiformis Sm". web.ncf.ca. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
  8. 1 2 3 "PLANTS Profile". United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 16 April 2010.
  9. Harris, G. R. and P. H. Lovell. (1980). Localized spread of Veronica filiformis, V. agrestis and V. persica. Journal of Applied Ecology 17:3 815-26.
  10. Kaufman, J. E. Chemical control of Veronica filifolia in turfgrass. Michigan Turfgrass Conference 1977.
  11. BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.