Veronica scutellata : Marsh Speedwell

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Spermatophyta (seed bearing)
Angiospermae (enclosed seed)

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Scrophulariaceae (Figwort Family)

Genera: Veronica (Speedwell) (Honouring St. Veronica)

Species: scutellata

English Name(s):

Marsh Speedwell, Skullcap Speedwell

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Plants herbaceous (not woody), glabrous (hairless) or somewhat pubescent (hairy), with stolons (runners).
• Rhizome (rootstock) filiform (threadlike).
• Stems weak, erect or ascending, simple (unbranched) or branched, 10-50cm long.

Leaves:

• Cauline (on stem), opposite, sessile (stalkless).
• Linear to lanceolate in shape with acute (pointed) tip.
• 1.5-10cm long.

Reproductive Parts:

• Inflorescence (flower cluster) lax racemes from leaf axils (nodes) with few to many flowers.
• Flowers perfect (bisexual), regular in symmetry.
• Calyx (sepals) 1.0-2.5mm long.
• Corolla (petals) 6-9mm wide, blueish.
• Stamens (male parts) 2, anther sacs unequal.

Seed:

• Fruit is a capsule.
• Seed capsules broader than long, notched.

Not to Be Confused With:

• Galium boreale (Northern Bedstraw) or Galium trifidum (Small Bedstraw) are simmilar looking but with white flowers and leaves in whorles (circles).

Physiology:

Life Cycle:

• Perennial

Seasonal Cycle:

• Plant deciduous (dieing back) to rootstock.

Animal Uses:

Habitat:

• Wet thickets, often near springs.

Modern:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

• Some 20 species of Veronica have been employed as drugs.

Food:

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Other:

Folklore:

• A shepherd is said to have been the first to discover the medicinal properties of Veronica after watching a dear heal itself with this plant.
• In the Victorian Language of Flowers Veronica symbolizes fidelity and resemblance.

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food: