Veronica anagallis-aquatica, Water Speedwell
Scientific Name: Veronica anagallis-aquatica
Common Name: Water Speedwell
Also Called: Blue Water Speedwell
Family: Scrophulariaceae, Figwort or Snapdragon Family - Moving to Plantaginaceae
Synonyms: (Veronica grandiflora, Veronica anagallis, Veronica anagallis var. latifolia, Veronica anagallis-aquatica, Veronica brittonii, Veronica catenata, Veronica catenata var. glandulosa, Veronica comosa, Veronica comosa var. glaberrima, Veronica comosa var. glandulosa, Veronica connata, Veronica connata subsp. glaberrima, Veronica connata var. glaberrima, Veronica connata var. typica, Veronica glandifera, Veronica micromeria, Veronica salina, Veronica X lackschewitzii)
Status: Native, naturalized from Europe.
Duration: Biennial, Perennial.
Size: Up to 2 feet more or less.
Growth Form: Forb/herb; plants glabrous, rhizomed; plants decumbent; branches from base.
Leaves: Green; leaves clasping to cordate; leaf shape variable, elliptic to ovate; margins entire
Flower Color: White, purple or pinkish; corolla bluish-lilac; inflorescence axillary, flowers more than 30; pedicels short, up curved; fruit a capsule mostly shorter than the sepals.
Flowering Season: March to September; May to September in California.
Elevation: 1,500 to 7,000 feet; below 8,000 feet in California.
Habitat Preferences: In and around springs, wet meadows, streambanks and slow streams.
Recorded Range: Veronica anagallis-aquatica is found throughout the United States and Canada. It is also naturalized in Baja California and northwest Mexico. In Arizona it is found throughout the state in preferred habitats, few or no records in Greenlee, La Paz and Yuma counties. This species is native to Europe and widely naturalized in North America and parts of South America.
North America & US County Distribution Map for Veronica anagallis-aquatica.
U.S. Weed Information: No information available.
Invasive/Noxious Weed Information: No information available.
Wetland Indicator: In North America Veronica anagallis-aquatica has the following wetland designations: Alaska, OBL; Arid West, OBL; Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, OBL; Eastern Mountains and Piedmont, OBL; Great Plains, OBL; Midwest, OBL; Northcentral & Northeast, OBL; Western Mountains, Valleys, and Coast, OBL.
OBL = Obligate Wetland, almost always occur in wetlands
Threatened/Endangered Information: In North America Veronica anagallis-aquatica is listed by 4 states as Threatened or Endangered. Common names are from the state lists;
Indiana, Brook-pimpernell, Threatened; Massachusetts, Veronica catenata. Sessile Water-speedwell, Endangered;New Jersey, Veronica catenata, Sessile Water-speedwell, Endangered;Tennessee, Veronica catenata, Sessile Water-speedwell, Endangered.
In the Southwestern United States, Arizona and Texas each have 8 species of Veronica, in California there are 16 species, Nevada has 10 species, New Mexico has 7 species, Texas has 8 species, Utah has 9 species. All data is approximate and subject to taxonomic changes.
Comments: Veronica anagallis-aquatica is common where found mostly along slow streams, springs and meadows up to about 7,000 feet.