Speedwells Crib

ARABLE PLANT CRIB Speedwells

Plant Breckland speedwell Fingered speedwell Spring speedwell Species Veronica praecox Veronica triphyllos Veronica verna

Threat Status Near Threatened Endangered Endangered

Distribution Confined to a few sites in Confined to Breckland Confined to Breckland Breckland and one site in Oxfordshire Growth Erect or growing upwards Erect or growing upwards Erect Never rooting at nodes Never rooting at nodes Never rooting at nodes Stem Stems hairy all round (normal Stems minutely hairy all round Stems hairy all round hairs at base of plant and with scattered long red- (sometimes hairs are glandular hairs at top of plant) tipped glandular hairs glandular) Leaves Egg-shaped, very symmetrical 3-7 palmately lobed leaves 3-7 palmately lobed leaves with deeply cut saw-like teeth. with glandular hairs with normal hairs. Some of the The lower leaves can be similar lobes are cut more than 50% to Wall speedwell but are more to the mid-rib sharply and deeply toothed Flower Flowers at tip of plant on Flowers at tip of plant on Flowers at tip of plant on very positioning longer stalks (approx. 5 mm) longer stalks (5-8 mm) short stalks (1 mm) Flower colour Blue with dark blue veins Deep blue Deep blue

Flower size Up to 3 mm 3-4 mm 2-3 mm (width) Fruit Longer than wide Longer than wide Wider than long Glandular hairs Glandular hairs Glandular hairs

Flower head

Leaves

Illustrations by evansgraphic.co.uk ©Plantlife ARABLE PLANT CRIB / Speedwells

Plant Green field-speedwell Grey field-speedwell Common field-Speedwell Species Veronica agrestis Veronica polita Veronica persica Threat Status Least Concern Least Concern Distribution Widespread Widespread Common and widespread Growth Creeping or growing upwards Creeping or growing upwards Creeping or growing upwards Rooting at lower nodes Rooting at lower nodes Rooting at lower nodes Stem Stems hairy all round Stems hairy all round Stems hairy all round

Leaves Oval egg-shaped leaves with Egg-shaped with 4 teeth per Egg-shaped 3-4 teeth per side side 5-7 teeth per side All leaves are longer than Lower leaves are wider than All leaves longer than wide wide and light green long. Dark green above, often Dull light green above purplish below (occasionally purplish below) Flower Single flowers that originate Single flowers that originate Single flowers that originate positioning from leaf nodes from leaf nodes from leaf nodes Flower colour White, upper lobe bluish or Bright blue. Centre of flower Bright blue, lower lip often reddish dark, lower lobe can be white white Flower size 6-8 mm 5-8 mm 8-12 mm (width) Fruit Wider than long Wider than long Wider than long (twice as Two erect rounded lobes Two erect rounded lobes wide as long) Obvious glandular hairs only Short, arched, normal hairs Two spreading, sharp-edged and some obvious glandular lobes hairs Can have glandular and non- glandular hairs 7 mm 5 mm 10 mm

Flower head

leaves

Fruit

Hairs

Illustrations by evansgraphic.co.uk ©Plantlife ARABLE PLANT CRIB / Speedwells

Plant Germander speedwell Thyme-leaved speedwell Wall speedwell Species Veronica chamaedrys Veronica serpyllifolia Veronica arvensis

Threat Status

Distribution Common and widespread Common and widespread Common and widespread

Growth Creeping or growing upwards Creeping or growing upwards Erect or growing upwards Rooting at lower nodes Rooting at lower nodes Never rooting at nodes Stem Hairs in two opposite lines Stems hairy (small hairs) Stems hairy all round along stem all round (sometimes glandular hairs) Leaves Egg-shaped Egg-shaped or oval to Egg-shaped 4-8 teeth per side roundish. Often shiny. 2-5 teeth per side All leaves longer than wide Weakly toothed Flower Flowers in spikes that Flowers at tip of plant Flowers at tip of plant on positioning originate from leaf nodes short stalks (<1 mm). Flower bracts are oval-lanceolate grading into leaves below the flowering spike Flower colour Bright blue with a white eye White or pale blue, with Whitish to blue blue-veins Flower size 10 mm 5-6 mm 3-4 mm (width) Fruit Wider than long Wider than long As long as wide Shorter than sepals Same length as sepals Hairy (can be glandular hairy)

Flower head

Fruit

Plant Slender speedwell Ivy-leaved speedwell

Species Veronica filiformis Veronica hederifolia

Threat Status

Distribution Common and widespread Common and widespread

Growth Creeping or growing upwards Creeping, rarely grows Rooting at lower nodes upwards Rooting at lower nodes Stem Stems hairy all round Stems hairy all round

Leaves Roundish to kidney-shaped Ivy-like 3-4 teeth per side. End tooth 2-3 teeth per side. Broad end much wider than long tooth Lower leaves wider than long Lower leaves wider than long Light / yellow green Flower Single flowers that originate Single flowers that originate positioning from leaf nodes from leaf nodes Flower colour Blue to lilac often with white Light blue or lilac lower lip Flower size 8-12 mm 4-5 mm (width) Fruit Not often produced Very variable, often globular As long as wide Hairless Obvious glandular hairs only

Flower head

Fruit