green field speedwell (Veronica agrestis)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMMON NAMES:
field speedwell
green field speedwell

 

SCIENTIFIC SYNONYMS:
Pocilla agrestis (L.) Fourr.

 

CONFIRMATION STATUS: Pending confirmation.

 

TAXONOMY: The currently accepted scientific name of green field
speedwell is Veronica agrestis L.

 

NATIVE STATUS: Introduced, United States and Canada.

 

GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

 

Habit: Green field speedwell is a puescent annual or winter annual with

prostrate or ascending stems. Stems 0.5-3 dm. long, branched at the base,

often tufted or matted.

 

Leaves: Leaves are ovate or rounded, coarsely but evenl crenate, 1-2 cm.

long.

 

Flowers: Flowers solitary in the axils of many of the alternate leaves.

Peduncles 6- 10 mm. long in flower, longer and recurved when fruits are

mature. The calyx-lobes are finely pubescent, ovate to broadly lanceolate, 3.5-5mm. long in flower, 6-9 mm. long and exceeding the fruit when ma-

ture. The corolla are blue with a pale lower lobe, 5-7 mm. broad.

 

Fruit/Seeds: The fruit capsule is slightly flattened, 3.5-6 mm. wide, notch-

ed at the top, hairy along the margins. The style equals the capsule lobes.

Seeds are 3-8 in each cell.

 

Roots: Short to mederate taproot and fibrous.

 

REGENERATION PROCESS: Green field speedwell regenerates itself
by reseeding.

 

HABITAT TYPES: Like other speedwells, green field speedwell can be
found growing in grassy slopes, fields, abandoned fields, along roadsides
and railroads, gardens, lawns, and waste ground. Areas with a history of
disturbance are preferred.

 

SITE CHARACTERISTICS: Green field speedwell prefers light (sandy),
medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The
plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the
shade. It requires moist soil.

 

SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT: Blooming time is generally May through
July.

 

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION: Green field speedwell is found through-

out most of the eastern United States and Canadian provinces. It extends

into the lower Ohio River Valley and mid-west into the eastern portion of

the far southwest. It does not naturally grow in the far west.

 

SKY MEADOWS DISTRIBUTION: To be determined.

 

IMPORTANCE AND USES: Insufficient information.

 

 

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