SPIKED SPEEDWELL

Veronica spicata

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

month8jul month8july month8aug month8sep month8sept month8oct

status
statusZnative
flower
flower8blue
morph
morph8zygo
petals
petalsZ4
type
typeZspiked
stem
stem8round
rarity
rarityZscarce
sex
sexZbisexual

12th June 2019, flanks, Great Orme, Llandudno, North Wales Photo: © RWD
A small group of them, tapered like household radiator cleaner brushes. Stems are erect and grow up to 60cm (sometimes 80cm) [Common Rock-Rose in foreground]. From further away it can resemble the similarly coloured bluish-purple flower spikes of Viper's Bugloss, which stands at a similar height.


12th June 2019, flanks, Great Orme, Llandudno, North Wales Photo: © RWD
The wider leaves are basal. The stems have just a few leaves which are in opposite pairs and are less wide than the basal leaves.


16th June 2009, Great Orme, North Wales. Photo: © RWD
Grows on short turf up to 60cm tall, shorter on high ground as here. A spike of brilliantly blue flowers. Oppositely paired leaves.


16th June 2009, Great Orme, North Wales. Photo: © RWD
Flowers are four-petalled with prominent stamens. Stems brownish and covered in hairs.


12th June 2019, flanks, Great Orme, Llandudno, North Wales Photo: © RWD
There are two anthers (both about as long as the single concolorous stigma with style which is hardly wider than the stigma). Both filaments and stigma are concolorous with the petals, but the amthers are a darker purple, sometimes bluish-purple.


12th June 2019, flanks, Great Orme, Llandudno, North Wales Photo: © RWD
Everything is hairy (apart from the petals and flowers) even the calyx tube and teeth. Flowers just beginning to open here.


16th June 2009, Great Orme, North Wales. Photo: © RWD
Flowers are really an intense blue-purple. Stamens prominent.


16th June 2009, Great Orme, North Wales. Photo: © RWD
The flowers un-furl from a pointed bud.


16th June 2009, Great Orme, North Wales. Photo: © RWD
Prominent stamens.


12th June 2019, flanks, Great Orme, Llandudno, North Wales Photo: © RWD
Flowers die from the bottom upwards. There are as-yet unopened flowers at the tip of the flower slike.


16th June 2009, Great Orme, North Wales. Photo: © RWD
Stem leaves in opposite pairs up the stem and slightly wavy and browned at the edges. Covered in hairs. The stem is slightly thinner above each pair of leaves.


12th June 2019, flanks, Great Orme, Llandudno, North Wales Photo: © RWD
Stem leaves and basal leaves.


12th June 2019, flanks, Great Orme, Llandudno, North Wales Photo: © RWD


Hybridizes with : Long-leaved Speedwell (Veronica longifolia) to produce Veronica longifolia × spicata which is taller, showier and has toothed leaves.

Uniquely identifiable characteristics

Taxonomists, in their infinite wisdom, have deemed that the Speedwells no longer belong to the Foxglove and Figwort Family, but to the Plantain Family.


  Veronica spicata  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Plantaginaceae  

Distribution
 family8Plantain family8Plantaginaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Veronica
Veronica
(Speedwells)

SPIKED SPEEDWELL

Veronica spicata

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

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