Digger's speedwell | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Plantaginaceae |
Genus: | Veronica |
Species: | V. perfoliata |
Binomial name | |
Veronica perfoliata | |
Occurrence data from Australasian Virtual Herbarium | |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Veronica perfoliata, commonly known as digger's speedwell, [2] is a common perennial herb found at higher altitudes in south-eastern Australia. [3] 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.
Veronica perfoliata is an erect woody herb with arching decumbent branches 120 cm (47 in) long. The leaves are smooth and bluish green with a powdery bloom, about 1.5–5.5 cm (0.59–2.2 in) long and 15–40 mm (0.59–1.6 in) wide. Leaves are either narrow or broad egg-shaped and arranged in opposite pairs, joined to the stem either in a wedge, heart, or stem-clasping configuration. The leaf margin may be entire, finely scalloped or with approximately 10 pairs of rough or shallow sharp teeth. Plants with narrower leaves generally grow in drier situations, whereas the broad-leaf form in wetter cooler locations. Leaves have 3-9 longitudinal veins radiating from the base. Numerous woody stems grow from a rootstock and form a clump, rarely branched below the inflorescence. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
The inflorescence is a slender raceme, 10–45 cm (3.9–18 in) long with 25–70 flowers per stem. When fruiting the pedicel is 5–12 mm (0.20–0.47 in) long. The smooth calyx lobes are 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long and 0.5–1 cm (0.20–0.39 in) wide. The individual violet-blue flower petals are 7–12 mm (0.28–0.47 in) long. The seed capsules are egg-shaped 4.5–8.5 mm (0.18–0.33 in) long and 2.8–3.5 mm (0.11–0.14 in) wide. Capsules are barely flattened, dull, and either rounded or sharply pointed. Flowering occurs from October to February. [2] [3] [4] [5]
Robert Brown first formally described the species in 1810, using V. perfoliata, in the botanical survey Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae . [7] [8] Constantine Rafinesque, Barbara Briggs and Friedrich Ehrendorfer changed the name to Parahebe perfoliata or Derwentia perfoliata, but the changes have not been accepted by the Australian Plant Census. The specific epithet (perfoliata) refers to the plant having "perfoliate" leaves, where the stem appears to be passing through the leaves. [1] [3] The common name "digger's speedwell" derives from a belief that the species is a reliable indicator of the presence of gold. [9] "Speedwell" is a name for several species of veronica. [9] [10] [11]
Digger's speedwell grows at higher altitudes between 530–1,780 m (1,700–5,800 ft) high in mountainous meadows, heath, eucalypt forest, and woodland in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, and Victoria. It grows in similar areas to V. derwentiana but in shallow, often rocky soil on steep slopes rather than deeper soils in shaded sites. The broad range of the species contrasts with the belief that it indicates the presence of gold. [9] [12]
Pimelea spicata, commonly known as the spiked rice flower, is a flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is a slender plant with white flowers and elliptic leaves.
Blandfordia grandiflora, commonly known as Christmas bells, is a flowering plant endemic to eastern Australia. It is a tufted perennial herb with narrow, channelled, linear leaves and between two and twenty large, drooping, bell-shaped flowers. The flowers are red with yellow tips, or sometimes entirely yellow. It is one of four species of Blandfordia known as Christmas bells, this one growing on the coast and nearby ranges between Sydney in New South Wales and Fraser Island in Queensland.
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.
Goodenia lanata, commonly known as trailing goodenia in Victoria and native primrose in Tasmania is a species of flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a prostrate or low-lying perennial herb with hairy, egg-shaped leaves and racemes of yellow flowers.
Persoonia media is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect to spreading shrub or tree with branchlets and leaves that are glabrous or only sparsely hairy, elliptic to egg-shaped leaves and up to sixteen yellow flowers on a rachis up to 150 mm (5.9 in) long.
Prostanthera marifolia, commonly known as Seaforth mintbush, is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to a restricted area of New South Wales. It is a small, erect, openly branched shrub with egg-shaped to elliptic leaves, and purple to mauve flowers arranged in leaf axils.
Hakea cucullata, commonly known as hood-leaved hakea, cup hakea or scallop hakea, is a species of shrub in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. An attractive shrub with unusual distinctive foliage and beautiful large pink, red or deep purple scented flowers.
Prostanthera denticulata, commonly known as rough mint-bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to coastal New South Wales. It is a straggling to almost prostrate, aromatic shrub with narrow egg-shaped leaves and purple to mauve flowers arranged in leaf axils or on the ends of branchlets.
Patersonia sericea, commonly known as purple flag or silky purple-flag is a species of plant in the iris family Iridaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a densely-tufted perennial herb with linear, sword-shaped leaves, broadly egg-shaped, bluish-violet tepals and an oval capsule.
Veronica plebeia, commonly known as creeping- or trailing speedwell, is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Plantaginaceae. It is native to Australia and New Zealand.
Veronica calycina, commonly known as hairy speedwell or cup speedwell, is a flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae. It is a trailing perennial with dark green leaves, purple-blue flowers and is endemic to Australia.
Persicaria decipiens, commonly known as slender knotweed, is a species of flowering plant native to Australia and Asia.
Hakea baxteri, commonly known as fan-leaf hakea , is a shrub in the family Proteaceae native to an area in the Great Southern and Wheatbelt regions of Western Australia. A species noted for its foliage due to its fan-shaped leaves.
Veronica arcuata is a flowering plant species in the family Plantaginaceae. It is native to northern New South Wales. The lilac coloured flowers are showy and conspicuous from late spring to late summer.
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.
Epacris sparsa, is a small upright shrub with creamy-white flowers, elliptic to egg-shaped leaves and reddish new growth. It is endemic to New South Wales with a restricted distribution.
Veronica continua is an upright, woody herb with blue flowers in dense clusters at the end of branches and leaves arranged in opposite pairs. It is endemic to Tasmania.
Goodenia glabra, commonly known as shiny pansy or smooth goodenia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae and is endemic to drier inland areas of Australia. It is a prostrate to low-lying herb with lobed, oblong to egg-shaped leaves, and racemes of yellow flowers with purplish markings.
Goodenia varia, commonly known as sticky goodenia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae and is endemic to southern Australia. It is an ascending to prostrate shrub with elliptic leaves, usually with toothed edges, and racemes or thyrses of yellow flowers.
Patersonia glabrata, commonly known as leafy purple-flag, or bugulbi in the Cadigal language, is a species of flowering plant in the family Iridaceae family and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a perennial herb or subshrub with linear leaves and pale violet flowers.