Veronica filiformis
Encyclopedia
Veronica filiformis is a species of flowering plant
in the genus Veronica
. It is known by many common names, including slender speedwell, creeping speedwell, threadstalk speedwell and Whetzel weed. It is native to eastern Europe and western Asia, and it is known in many other regions as an introduced species
and a common weed
.
perennial herb producing mats of hairy stems that readily root at nodes that touch substrate. It is self-sterile and rarely seeds, being spread by stolon
s. The corolla of V. filiformis is four-lobed and blueish with a white tip, around 8–10 mm in diameter, the top lobe being largest since it is actually a fusion of two lobes. At the center are two long, protruding stamen
s. Solitary flowers occur in leaf axils. They are on relatively long, slender stalks that arise from the leaf axils, and appear between April and July. The leaves, found near the base of the stem, are 5–10 mm across, rounded or kidney-shaped with blunt teeth and short stalks, and smaller on distal parts. In Ireland, the plant was sewn into the clothing of travellers for good luck.
, V. filiformis was introduced to the United Kingdom from Turkey in 1808 as a rock garden plant and was first reported as an escape in 1838. It was introduced to the United States nursery trade in the 1920s and is now generally considered a weed. It can be invading
of lawn
s, sod
, and turf
, and has become naturalised in gardens and grassy paths and on roadsides. It prefers shade, moist soils, good fertility and a low mowing height, and due to the speed at which is spreads, it is often necessary to use herbicide
s to remove it.
It reproduces asexually
by resprouting from separated sections of stem and rhizome and easily takes hold in new habitat. The plant was originally used as groundcover
in gardens and valued for its pretty blue flowers, but it is easily dispersed into the environment if it is chopped up, during mowing
, for example. It is still cultivated, sold, and used in gardening.
and V. chamaedrys
, but can be distinguished by the size of its leaves and lack of seed capsules.
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
in the genus Veronica
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...
. It is known by many common names, including slender speedwell, creeping speedwell, threadstalk speedwell and Whetzel weed. It is native to eastern Europe and western Asia, and it is known in many other regions as an introduced species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
and a common weed
Weed
A weed in a general sense is a plant that is considered by the user of the term to be a nuisance, and normally applied to unwanted plants in human-controlled settings, especially farm fields and gardens, but also lawns, parks, woods, and other areas. More specifically, the term is often used to...
.
Description
V. filiformis is a rhizomatousRhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
perennial herb producing mats of hairy stems that readily root at nodes that touch substrate. It is self-sterile and rarely seeds, being spread by stolon
Stolon
In biology, stolons are horizontal connections between organisms. They may be part of the organism, or of its skeleton; typically, animal stolons are external skeletons.-In botany:...
s. The corolla of V. filiformis is four-lobed and blueish with a white tip, around 8–10 mm in diameter, the top lobe being largest since it is actually a fusion of two lobes. At the center are two long, protruding stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s. Solitary flowers occur in leaf axils. They are on relatively long, slender stalks that arise from the leaf axils, and appear between April and July. The leaves, found near the base of the stem, are 5–10 mm across, rounded or kidney-shaped with blunt teeth and short stalks, and smaller on distal parts. In Ireland, the plant was sewn into the clothing of travellers for good luck.
Status and habitat
A native to northern Turkey and the CaucasusCaucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
, V. filiformis was introduced to the United Kingdom from Turkey in 1808 as a rock garden plant and was first reported as an escape in 1838. It was introduced to the United States nursery trade in the 1920s and is now generally considered a weed. It can be invading
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
of lawn
Lawn
A lawn is an area of aesthetic and recreational land planted with grasses or other durable plants, which usually are maintained at a low and consistent height. Low ornamental meadows in natural landscaping styles are a contemporary option of a lawn...
s, sod
Sod
Sod or turf is grass and the part of the soil beneath it held together by the roots, or a piece of thin material.The term sod may be used to mean turf grown and cut specifically for the establishment of lawns...
, and turf
Golf course turf
Golf course turf is the grass covering golf courses, which is used as a playing surface in the sport of golf. The grass is carefully maintained by a greenskeeper to control weeds, insects and to introduce nutrients such as nitrogen fertilization...
, and has become naturalised in gardens and grassy paths and on roadsides. It prefers shade, moist soils, good fertility and a low mowing height, and due to the speed at which is spreads, it is often necessary to use herbicide
Herbicide
Herbicides, also commonly known as weedkillers, are pesticides used to kill unwanted plants. Selective herbicides kill specific targets while leaving the desired crop relatively unharmed. Some of these act by interfering with the growth of the weed and are often synthetic "imitations" of plant...
s to remove it.
It reproduces asexually
Vegetative reproduction
Vegetative reproduction is a form of asexual reproduction in plants. It is a process by which new individuals arise without production of seeds or spores...
by resprouting from separated sections of stem and rhizome and easily takes hold in new habitat. The plant was originally used as groundcover
Groundcover
Groundcover refers to any plant that grows over an area of ground, used to provide protection from erosion and drought, and to improve its aesthetic appearance .- Ecosystem :...
in gardens and valued for its pretty blue flowers, but it is easily dispersed into the environment if it is chopped up, during mowing
Mower
A mower is a machine for cutting grass or other plants that grow on the ground. Usually mowing is distinguished from reaping, which uses similar implements, but is the traditional term for harvesting grain crops, e.g...
, for example. It is still cultivated, sold, and used in gardening.
Identification
V. filiformis is similar to other Veronica species, such as V. arvensisVeronica arvensis
Veronica arvensis is a medicinal plant and noxious weed native to Africa, Asia and Europe ....
and V. chamaedrys
Veronica chamaedrys
Veronica chamaedrys is a species of Veronica, native to Europe and northern Asia. It is found on other continents as an introduced species. It is a herbaceous perennial plant with hairy stems and leaves. It can grow to 25 cm tall, but is normally about 12 cm tall. The flowers are blue,...
, but can be distinguished by the size of its leaves and lack of seed capsules.
Common names
V. filiformis is known by the following common names:- Slender speedwell
- Creeping speedwell
- Threadstalk speedwell
- Caucasian speedwell
- Round-leaved speedwell
- Creeping Veronica
- Whetzel weed