SPECIES DESCRIPTION
VERONICA HEDERIFOLIA subsp. TRILOBA
Family and Genus:- See- PLANTAGINACEAE/Sect. POCILLA
Common Names:- Ivy-leaved speedwell
Homotypic Synonyms:- Veronica triloba
Meaning:- Veronica (L) For Saint Veronica, who wiped the sweat from Christ's
face.
Hederifolia (L) Having leaves similar to those Hedera i.e. ivy-like
Triloba (L) With three lobes.
General description:- Low sprawling, hairy annual.
Stems:-
1) 10-60 cm, procumbent.
Leaves:-
1) 5-15 mm, petiolate, suborbicular in outline, thick, deeply 3(5)-lobed;
a) middle lobe, much wider than long.
Flowers:-
1) Solitary in the leaf-axils.
2) Pedicels, not more than 2½ times as long as the calyx, usually glabrous except
for an adaxial row of short hairs.
3) Calyx-segments, 4-5 mm, cordate ovate, acute, shortly ciliate, erect or suberect
in fruit.
4) Corolla, 4-6 mm diam, dark blue.
5) Style, c. 1 mm.
Fruit:-
1) Capsule, c. 4 x 4 mm, subglobose, shallowly 4-lobed, glabrous
2) Seeds, c. 2·5 x 2·25 mm, suborbicular, cupuliform.
Key features:-
1) Stems ± procumbent.
2) Flowers, solitary in the leaf-axils.
2) Leaves, 3- to 5-lobed.
4) Seeds, at least 2 mm.
5) Calyx-segments, cordate-ovate, acute.
6) Capsule, glabrous.
7) Pedicels, not more than 2½ times as long as the calyx in fruit; usually glabrous
except for an adaxial row of hairs.
8) Middle lobe, of the leaf wider than long.
Habitat:- Fields, orchards, open woodland, usually in somewhat damp, shady
places. 0-1000(-1600) m.
Distribution:- Throughout mainland Greece, Widespread throughout the
Mediterranean region. Rare on Crete known from only a few locations.
Flowering time:- Mar-July.
Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis
