SPECIES DESCRIPTION
VERONICA ACINIFOLIA

Family and Genus:- See- PLANTAGINACEAE/Sect. POCILLA 

Common Names:- French speedwell

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Veronica (L) For Saint Veronica, who wiped the sweat from Christ's
face.
                  Acinifolia (L) Acinos-leaved, basil-thyme-leaved.                       
                
General description:- Slender, erect annual.

Stems:-
1) 5-15 cm, erect, simple or branched from the base, more or less glandular-hairy
    pubescent, throughout.

Leaves:-
1) Blade, 4-12 mm, triangular-ovate, entire or crenate, subglabrous to sparsely
    pubescent.
2) Lower, shortly-petiolate.

Flowers:-
1) Inflorescence, a long, lax raceme.
2) Bracts;
    a) lower, leaf-like. the
    b) upper, smaller and entire,
3) Pedicels, fruiting, 4-8 mm. erecto-patent, ± straight, slightly exceeding the 
    bracts, with short eglandular hairs and longer, usually 4-celled glanular hairs.
4) Calyx segments, ovate.
5) Corolla, 2-3 mm. rather dark blue
6) Style c. 1·5 mm, not or scarcely exceeding the sinus.

Fruit:-
1) Capsule, c. 2 x 3 mm, broadly reniform, with a deep sinus, flat, glandular-hairy.
2) Seeds, c. 0·75 x 0·5 mm, broadly elliptical,slightly convex on one face, and flat
    or slightly concave on the other.

Key features:-
1) Seeds, slightly convex on one face, and flat or slightly concave on the other.
2) Bracts not exceeding the pedicels.
3) Leaves, entire or obscurely crenate.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Seasonally damp spots at field margins, along tracks, in macchie, open
woodland, meadows and olive groves. (0)200-1100 m.

Distribution:- Scattered throughout mainland Greece and the Peleponnisos, S. SC.
and W. Europe, eastwards to N. Anatolia. Limited distribution on Crete. Known only
from the Dikti and Psiloritis massifs and near Chania.

Flowering time:- Apr-May

Photos by:- Steve Lenton