Veronica (plant)

''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.

Taxonomy for this genus is currently being reanalysed, with the genus '' Hebe'' and the related Australasian genera '' Derwentia'', ''Detzneria'', ''Chionohebe'', ''Heliohebe'', ''Leonohebe'' and ''Parahebe'' now included by many botanists. Monophyly of the genus is supported by nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and cpDNA.

The taxa of the genus are herbaceous annuals or perennials, and also subshrubs, shrubs or small trees if ''Hebe'' is included. Most of the species are from the temperate Northern Hemisphere, though with some species from the Southern Hemisphere; ''Hebe'' is mostly from New Zealand.

Taxonomy

The genus name ''Veronica'' used in binomial nomenclature was chosen by Carl Linnaeus based on preexisting common usage of the name veronica in many European languages for plants in this group. Such use in English is attested as early as 1572. The name probably reflects a connection with Saint Veronica, whose Latin name is ultimately derived from Greek, Berenice.

Selected species

, ''Plants of the World Online'' listed about 460 accepted species and hybrids in the genus ''Veronica''. This includes species formerly placed in the genus ''Hebe''.

*'' Veronica agrestis'', green field-speedwell
*'' Veronica alaskensis'', Alaska speedwell
*'' Veronica alpina'', alpine speedwell
*'' Veronica americana'', American brooklime
*'' Veronica anagallis-aquatica'', water speedwell
*'' Veronica aphylla'', leafless stemmed speedwell
*'' Veronica arcuata''
*'' Veronica arenaria''
*'' Veronica arvensis'', wall speedwell
*'' Veronica austriaca'', Austrian speedwell
*''Veronica beccabunga'', brooklime
*'' Veronica bellidioides''
*'' Veronica besseya''
*''Veronica bishopiana''
*'' Veronica bullii''
*'' Veronica calycina'', cup speedwell
*'' Veronica catarractae''
*'' Veronica catenata''
*''Veronica chamaedrys'', germander speedwell
*'' Veronica cinerea''
*'' Veronica continua'' B.G.Briggs
*'' Veronica copelandii''
*'' Veronica cusickii'', Cusick's speedwell
*'' Veronica cymbalaria'', pale speedwell
*'' Veronica dabneyi'', Azores speedwell
*'' Veronica derwentiana'', Derwent speedwell
*'' Veronica dillenii''
*'' Veronica diosmifolia''
*'' Veronica filiformis'', slender speedwell
*'' Veronica formosa''
*''Veronica fruticans'', rock speedwell
*''Veronica gentianoides'', gentian speedwell
*'' Veronica gracilis''
*'' Veronica hederifolia'', ivy-leaved speedwell
*''Veronica incana'', silver speedwell
*'' Veronica japonensis''
*'' Veronica jovellanoides''
*'' Veronica liwanensis''
*''Veronica longifolia'', long-leaved speedwell
*'' Veronica lyallii''
*'' Veronica mannii''
*'' Veronica missurica''
*'' Veronica montana'', wood speedwell
*'' Veronica nivea''
*'' Veronica obtusata''
*''Veronica officinalis'', heath speedwell
*'' Veronica ovata''
*'' Veronica panormitana''
*'' Veronica peduncularis''
*''Veronica peregrina'', American speedwell
*''Veronica perfoliata'', Digger's speedwell
*''Veronica persica'', common field-speedwell
*'' Veronica pimeleoides''
*'' Veronica pinguifolia''
*'' Veronica plebeia'', creeping speedwell
*''Veronica polita'', grey field speedwell
*'' Veronica ponae''
*'' Veronica prostrata'', sprawling speedwell
*'' Veronica rakaiensis''
*'' Veronica regina-nivalis''
*'' Veronica repens'', Corsican speedwell
*''Veronica salicifolia''
*'' Veronica scutellata'', marsh speedwell
*'' Veronica serpyllifolia'', thyme-leaved speedwell
*'' Veronica speciosa''
*''Veronica spicata'', spiked speedwell
*'' Veronica stricta''
*'' Veronica strictissima''
*'' Veronica syriaca''
*'' Veronica topiaria''
*''Veronica traversii''
*'' Veronica triphyllos'', fingered speedwell
*''Veronica turrilliana''
*'' Veronica verna'', spring speedwell
*'' Veronica vernicosa''
*'' Veronica wormskjoldii'', Wormskjold's speedwell

Uses

Food and medicine

'' Veronica americana'' is edible and nutritious, as are most species in the genus Veronica, and is reported to have a flavor similar to watercress. The plant can be confused with skullcap and other members of the mint family. Members of the mint family have square sided stems, and ''Veronica'' species have rounded stems.

''Veronica'' sp. herb has been used in the traditional Austrian medicine internally (as tea) for treatment of disorders of the nervous system, respiratory tract, cardiovascular system, and metabolism.

Ground cover

Several ''Veronica'' species and cultivars are cultivated for use as ground cover.

As weeds

Several species of speedwell are sometimes considered weeds in lawns. Some of the more common of these are Persian speedwell ('' V. persica''),Persian speedwell
Weed Gallery. U.C. Davis. creeping speedwell ('' V. filiformis''),Creeping Speedwell.
MSU Turf Weeds. Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Michigan State University. corn speedwell ('' V. arvensis''),Corn Speedwell.
MSU Turf Weeds. Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Michigan State University. germander speedwell ('' V. chamaedrys''), and ivy-leaved speedwell ('' V. hederifolia''). It is often difficult to tell one species from another. There are five to seven species of speedwell in Michigan alone that are easily confused.

Ecology

Species of ''Veronica'' are used as food plants by the larvae of some species of Lepidoptera, including the grizzled skipper.

An annual life history is known to have evolved separately several times within the genus, with up to 10% of the genus now having an annual life cycle. An annual life cycle, and associated morphological traits, is an adaptation thought to have developed in response to an extremely arid or generally unpredictable environment, and may persist in ''Veronica'' due to a historic concentration and radiation of members of the genus in and from the climatically volatile Balkan Peninsula.

References

External links

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Plantaginaceae genera