BLUE WATER-SPEEDWELL

Veronica anagallis-aquatica

Plantain Family [Plantaginaceae]  
Synonym : Veronicaceae
Formerly in: Figwort Family [Scrophulariaceae]

month8jun month8june month8jul month8july month8aug

status
statusZnative
flower
flower8lilac flower8mauve flower8azure
inner
inner8white
morph
morph8zygo
petals
petalsZ4
type
typeZspiked
stem
stem8round
sex
sexZbisexual

31st May 2005, below sluice, East Yar, Niton, IOW, Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
The opposite leaves of Blue Water-speedwell hug the main stem much less than those of Pink Water-apeedwell do which look like they are perfoliate (but are not actually conjoined in the centre). Unlike Pink Water-apeedwell, the racemes of flowers are not held out from the main stem as much, but are more upwardly directed (than splaying outwards).
(The plant looks like it has been splashed by high-velocity mud).


26th Aug 2007, Bleak Down, IOW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
Grows in shallow streams and is much taller than Brooklime and with flowers more lilac to mauve than blue. Leaves in opposite pairs up the stem.


25th Aug 2007, Bleak Down, IOW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Mike Cotterill
Unlike Brooklime, the leaves are lanceolate and also rather dock-like, being wavy or slightly crinkled.
Also unlike Brooklime (which has deep-blue petals) the flowers of Blue water-speedwell are usually pale-blue (as here).


25th Aug 2007, Bleak Down, IOW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Mike Cotterill


26th Aug 2007, Bleak Down, IOW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
The leaves have slight forwardly-directed teeth. The flowers have four petals, and are pale blue to lilac.


26th Aug 2007, Bleak Down, IOW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone


26th Aug 2007, Bleak Down, IOW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone


26th Aug 2007, Bleak Down, IOW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
Two differentiators between Pink and Blue Water-speedwells:

The pedicels (stalks of the flowers or fruit) are only nearly erect (pointing upwards) when there are fruits on them.
[Whereas on Pink Water-speedwell they are indeed fully erect when in fruit]



26th Aug 2007, Bleak Down, IOW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
The fruits (a capsule) have a long thin style atop with a small discoidal stigma. They are also orbicular (almost spherical in shape) and usually not notched at the apex where the style emerges (or if they are notched, then that notch is only very slight).
[On Pink Water-Speedwell the capsules are wider than they are long and are also deeply notched at the apex].




(probably)

HYBRID WATER-SPEEDWELL


(Veronica × lackschewitzii)

19th July 2005, Lathkilldale, Derbyshire. Photo: © RWD
Probably the hybrid between Blue Water-Speedwell (Veronica anagallis-aquatica) and Pink Water-Speedwell (Veronica catenata) which is intermediate between the characteristics of both parents - both Blue and Pink Water-speedwells were very close to each other, and so to was this much taller hybrid.
At up to 1m it is more robust and taller than either Blue or Pink Water-speedwells. (The notice warns against throwing bread at birds).


19th July 2005, Lathkilldale, Derbyshire. Photo: © RWD
Flowers in several spikes on one plant, longer than those on either parent.


19th July 2005, Lathkilldale, Derbyshire. Photo: © RWD
The bi-symmetric (zygomorphic) flowers have four un-even petals with a white and green centre.


19th July 2005, Lathkilldale, Derbyshire. Photo: © RWD
The leaves are not 'apparently conjoined' around the stem like they are in Pink Water-Speedwell (Your Author does not think they are actually conjoined in Pink Water-Speedwell either, but the two leaves do abut each other all around the stem on Pink Water-Speedwell).


Hybridizes with : Pink Water-Speedwell (Veronica catenata) to produce hybrid Water-speedwell aka Veronica × lackschewitzii (Veronica anagalis-aquatica × catenata), also shown above, which is frequent near the parents, but either sterile or only partially fertile.

Easily Confused with: Pink Water-Speedwell, which is pink rather than pale blue/lilac but that has all narrow leaves and the flower stalks are mostly shorter than the bracts just below them.

Some similarities to : Brooklime (Veronica beccabunga) which is also an aquatic Speedwell and is why it is in the same Beccabunga sub-genus of Veronica.

Always a bit tricky to approach anywhere near without getting very wet unless wearing waders. A long telephoto camera lens comes into its own.

It is native to the UK andoccurs in wet places such as in streams or ponds, on the margin of pools, or in wet meadows, drainage ditches or marshes in the lowlands (up to 380m high) where it is common throughout the UK. It is more frequent in the south, but only local in the north.


  Veronica anagallis-aquatica  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Plantaginaceae  

Distribution
 family8Plantain family8Plantaginaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Veronica
Veronica
(Speedwells)

BLUE WATER-SPEEDWELL

Veronica anagallis-aquatica

Plantain Family [Plantaginaceae]  
Formerly in: Figwort Family [Scrophulariaceae]

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