Speedwells – well represented on University land!

Speedwells have small blue (occasionally white, lilac or pink) flowers, either occurring as single flowers or in a spike. There are 20 native species of Speedwell (Veronica) in Britain. A surprisingly large number can be found on campus, with even more occurring on the University’s farm at Sonning.

Of the 20 British species, three (V. alpina, V. fructicans and V. verna) are restricted to mountains and three more (V. praecox, V. spicata and V. triphyllos) are rarities in the Breckland area of Norfolk and Suffolk. The other 14 are listed below:

  • Wetland or marsh:
    • Brooklime (V. beccabunga)
    • Blue water speedwell (V. anagallis-aquatica)
    • Pink water speedwell (V. catenata)
    • Marsh speedwell (V. scutellata)
  • Heathland
    • Heath speedwell (V. officinalis)
  • Woodland
    • Wood speedwell (V. montana)
    • Germander speedwell (V. chamaedrys)
  • Disturbed ground/wasteland/arable fields
    • Thyme-leaved speedwell (V. serpyllifolia)
    • Ivy-leaved speedwell (V. hederifolia)
    • Slender speedwell (V. filiformis)
    • Wall speedwell (V. arvensis)
    • Common field-speedwell (V. persica)
    • Green field-speedwell (V. agrestis)
    • Grey field-speedwell (V. polita)

 

Species

Whiteknights Campus

Before 2009

Le Grice & Jury 2009

Since 2009

Wetland or marsh
    Brooklime

X

X

X

    Blue water speedwell
    Pink water speedwell
    Marsh speedwell
Heathland
    Heath speedwell

X

Woodland
    Wood speedwell

X?

X

X

    Germander speedwell

X

X

X

Disturbed ground
    Thyme-leaved speedwell

X

X

X

    Ivy-leaved speedwell

X

X

X

         ssp hederifolia
         ssp lucorum

X

X

X

    Slender speedwell

X

X

X

    Wall speedwell

X

X

X

    Common field speedwell

X

X

X

    Green field speedwell

X

X

    Grey field speedwell

X?

X

X

There is also a non-native, but self perpetuating, species of speedwell on campus: American speedwell (V. peregrina). This has become established on the experimental plots behind the greenhouses by the Harborne Building.

About Fay Newbery

PhD student in the Plant Pathology Research Group.
This entry was posted in Flowering Plants, Plantaginaceae, Plants, Scrophulariaceae and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.

One Response to Speedwells – well represented on University land!

  1. David says:

    I’ve seen Veronica hederifolia subspecies hederifolia on campus

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