North Carolina Wildflowers, Shrubs, and Trees

by Jeffrey S. Pippen | Back to Jeff's Plant Page | Jeff's Nature Pages


Plantaginaceae > Veronica (speedwell)

Gray Field Speedwell (Veronica polita) Birdeye Speedwell, Persian Speedwell (Veronica persica)
Weedy lawn on the Duke University Campus, Durham Co., NC
22 Mar 2009

This non-native species is common in lawns and other disturbed areas statewide of North Carolina. The solitary flowers are axillary and have long pedicels.

Gray Field Speedwell (Veronica persica) Birdeye Speedwell, Persian Speedwell (Veronica persica)
Weedy lawn on the Duke University Campus, Durham Co., NC
22 Mar 2009

Flowers are bright blue with darker blue lines and average about 9mm wide.

Gray Field Speedwell (Veronica persica) Birdeye Speedwell, Persian Speedwell (Veronica persica)
Weedy lawn on the Duke University Campus, Durham Co., NC
22 Mar 2009

Sepals are cuneate at base.

Gray Field Speedwell (Veronica persica) Birdeye Speedwell, Persian Speedwell (Veronica persica)
Weedy lawn on the Duke University Campus, Durham Co., NC
22 Mar 2009

The fruit capsules have a mix of straight, gland-tipped hairs and smaller, curved non-glandular hairs.

Gray Field Speedwell (Veronica persica) Birdeye Speedwell, Persian Speedwell (Veronica persica)
Weedy lawn on the Duke University Campus, Durham Co., NC
22 Mar 2009

Most leaves have more than 7 teeth.


Annotated habitat and distribution information listed above is from Radford, Ahles, & Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. UNC Press; and from personal observations and discussions with Will Cook, Harry LeGrand, and Bob Wilbur. Common names from personal experience and supplemented by the following resources USDA plants website, Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and NatureServe.


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Created on ... Aug 6, 2006 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com