Veronica persica
| Veronica persica | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Plantaginaceae |
| Genus: | Veronica |
| Species: | V. persica
|
| Binomial name | |
| Veronica persica | |
Veronica persica (common names: birdeye speedwell,[1] common field-speedwell,[2] Persian speedwell, large field speedwell, bird's-eye, or winter speedwell) is a flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae. It is native to Eurasia and is widespread as an introduced species in the British Isles (where it was first recorded in 1825[3]), North America, eastern Asia, including Japan and China, and Australia and New Zealand.
Description
Veronica persica is an annual or winter annual herb that reproduces from seed.
Its cotyledons are triangular with truncated bases. The short-stalked leaves are broadly ovate with coarsely serrated margins, and measure one to two centimetres (0.4 to 0.8 in) long. The leaves are paired on the lower stem and are alternately arranged on the upper parts. The plant has weak stems that form a dense, prostrate groundcover. The tips of stems often grow upright.
The flowers are roughly one centimetre (0.4 in) wide[4] and are sky-blue with dark stripes and white centers. They are zygomorphic, having only one vertical plane of symmetry. They are solitary on long, slender, hairy stalks in the leaf axils.
The seeds are transversely rugose and measure between one and two millimetres (0.04 and 0.08 in) long. There are five to 10 seeds per locule in the fruit.[5]
Veronica persica can be distinguished from similar species by its heart-shaped fruit with two widely-separated lobes.[3][4][5]
Horticultural uses
Although many species in the genus are used in gardens (such as V. exalta, V. incana, V. gentianoides, V. longifolia, V. perfoliata, and V. spicata),[6] this species is generally seen as a weed[7] and has no known horticultural uses.
Herbal medicine
Afghani herbalist, Mahomet Allum, used the plant to treat patients with heart trouble, in Adelaide, Australia, in the mid-20th century.[8]
References
- ^ NRCS. "Veronica persica". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 29 July 2015.
- ^ "BSBI List 2007". Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-01-25. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
- ^ a b Blamey, M., et al. 2003. Wild flowers of Britain and Ireland: The Complete Guide to the British and Irish Flora. A & C Black, London.
- ^ a b Rhoads, A. F. and T. A. Block. Plants of Pennsylvania: An Illustrated Manual, 2nd ed. University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia. 2007.
- ^ a b Gleason, H. A. and A. Cronquist. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada, 2nd ed. New York Botanical Gardens, New York, New York. 1991.
- ^ Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants or the Modern Florilegium, 2nd ed. J. M. Dent and Sons, London. 1992.
- ^ Veronica persica. USDA Plants Database.
- ^ Affifudin, Amirul Husni (Sep 2018). "Historical Archaeology Report: Mahomet Allum Khan". ResearchGate: 24. doi:10.13140/RG.2.2.23125.27365. Retrieved 27 November 2019.