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Veronica americana
Veronica americana  (American Brookline)
Plantaginaceae (Plantain Family)

Foothills, montane.  Streamsides, bogs.  Summer.
Near Forbay Lake Trail, July 12, 2007.
Veronica americana
Veronica americana  (American Brooklime)
Plantaginaceae (Plantain Family)

Foothills, montane.  Streamsides, bogs.  Summer.
Near Forbay Lake Trail, July 12, 2007.

Veronica americana is found in western, northern, and northeastern states in wet areas.  It often occurs in large numbers, sprouting new plants from the roots of older plants.  Flowers are only 5-10 millimeters across and are borne in long racemes that emerge from leaf axils.

Linnaeus named this genus in 1753.  Intermountain Flora indicates , "Name of doubtful origin, possibly in honor of St. Veronica".

This species was named by Schweinitz in Bentham's 1846 description of the plant which changed the name of Veronica beccabunga variety americana from its first publication in 1830 by Rafinesque who indicated that the description was based on a New York collection and that the plant "Grows from Canada to Virginia and Kentucky. near waters, brooks, &c."

  
Veronica americana
Veronica americana  (American Brooklime)
Plantaginaceae (Plantain Family)

Foothills, montane.  Streamsides, bogs.  Summer.
Near Forbay Lake Trail, July 12, 2007.

 

eronica anagallis-aquatica
Veronica anagallis-aquatica.  Synonym: Veronica catenata.  (Water Speedwell)
Plantaginaceae (Plantain Family)

Foothills, montane.  Streamsides, bogs.  Summer.
Wildcat Trail, July 12, 2010.

Veronica americana and Veronica anagallis-aquatica are very similar plants. V. americana's leaves have petioles; Veronica anagallis-aquatica has sessile leaves.

Both species enjoy the same boggy, streamside habitat and both grow to about fourteen inches tall with numerous, tiny, blue-white flowers.

Linnaeus named V. anagallis-aquatica in 1753 from European specimens.  Pennell named V. catenata in 1921.  Weber, Welsh, and Cronquist list these as separate species; Kartesz, the ultimate authority for all names on this web site, indicates that these are one and the same species.
eronica anagallis-aquatica

Veronica anagallis-aquatica.  Synonym: Veronica catenata.  (Water Speedwell)
Plantaginaceae (Plantain Family)

Foothills, montane.  Streamsides, bogs.  Summer.
Wildcat Trail, July 12, 2010.
eronica anagallis-aquatica

Veronica anagallis-aquatica.  Synonym: Veronica catenata.  (Water Speedwell)
Plantaginaceae (Plantain Family)

Foothills, montane.  Streamsides, bogs.  Summer.
Wildcat Trail, July 12, 2010.

Leaves of V. americana (top of this page) have short petioles; leaves of Veronica anagallis-aquatica are sessile and clasp the stem.  Notice that the flowers arise from the leaf axils.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Veronica americana

Veronica catenata

Range map for Veronica anagallis-aquatica