Speedwells (Veronicas) - introduced and native (Veronica species)

Family: Scrophulariaceae (Speedwell and Veronica family).

Veronica flowers usually have 4 pale blue to blue petals.

Ivy-leaf Speedwell - a weed (*Veronica hederifolia)

Native of Europe.

Occurrence: Scattered. Weedy places and gardens.

Identification:

• it is a sprawling, branched annual
• the flowers are pale blue to lilac and usually smaller than the sepals
• there are scattered hairs on the stems and leaves
• the leaves are as broad as long and have 1 to 3 pairs of coarse teeth.
• the flowers are on short (5-15mm) stalks.

Wall Speedwell - introduced (*Veronica arvensis)

Native of Europe and Asia.

Occurrence: Widespread. Weedy places, gardens etc.

Identification:

• it is an erect annual
• flowers are small, pale blue to lilac and almost hidden by the sepals
• the flowers are on short (less than 5 mm) stalks
• the upper leaves (from which the flowers grow) are much smaller than the lower, paired leaves
• the leaves are as broad as long and have rounded teeth.

Creeping Speedwell - introduced (*Veronica persica)

Native of SW Asia.

Occurrence: Scattered. Weedy places, gardens etc.

Identification:

• it is a sprawling annual
• flowers are pale blue and about as large as the sepals
• the leaves are almost as broad as long and have 1 to 3 rounded teeth
• the flower stalks and the stalks of the fruit are long and often drooping.

Trailing Speedwell - a native (Veronica plebeia)

Native of Eastern Australia.

Occurrence: Widespread in local forests. It may be locally abundant.

Identification:

• it has creeping stems
• the flowers are in short sprays, not single as in most of the introduced speedwells
• the flowers are wider than the sepals
• the leaves have several triangular teeth.

Hairy Speedwell - a native (Veronica calycina)

Native of all States.

Occurrence: Damper forests. Uncommon in the dryer forests.

Identification:

• it has creeping stems, which may form roots
• the stems have long hairs (over 1 mm long) in bands along the stem; There are scattered hairs elsewhere on the plant
• the flowers are in short sprays
• the broad leaves have numerous irregular teeth.

Slender Speedwell- a native (Veronica gracilis)

Native of SE Australia.

Occurrence: Rare in Box Ironbark forests. More common in wetter forests.

Identification:

• it is a slender, upright plant
• the leaves are narrow and come to a fine point
• the flowers are lilac to blue.

Digger's Speedwell - a native (Veronica perfoliata)

Other Names: Derwentia perfoliata, Parahebe perfoliata.

Native of NSW and Victoria.

Occurrence: Widespread in box-ironbark forests.

Identification:

• it grows to about half a metre high
• it has spikes of blue flowers clustered at the top of the plant
• the leaves often join together, so that the stalk passes through the centre of the leaf
• it is often to be found in hard dry rocky places.
• the leaves are grey-green.

Digger's Speedwell makes an excellent garden plant.