Family – Scrophulariaceae
Stems:
Leaves:
Inflorescence:
N/A
Flowers:
Flowering – February – June.
Habitat – Waste ground, roadsides, railroads, disturbed sites, fields, lawns.
Origin – Native to Europe.
Other information – This weedy species can be found in scattered counties of Alabama. The plant will most likely become more common with time. This species can be distinguished in the field by its serrate leaves, pubescent stems, and fairly large flowers. The flowers are noticeably larger than the other roadside Speedwells in Alabama.
The genus name Veronica is of apparent unknown derivation. It may refer to Saint Veronica of Christian beliefs. Oddly enough, there may not even be an actual person attached to that title. The name “veronica” comes from the Latin “ver(a) icon” or “true image”. St. Veronica was believed to have wiped the face of Christ before his crucifixion. The image of Christ’s face was supposedly transferred to the towel. The name “veronica” is a bastardization of the Latin term which was assigned to the person with the image instead of the image itself. To read more about this subject click .
The species epithet “persica” is the Latin word for a peach. It is unknown why the plant was assigned this name.
Alabama Distribution:
Photographs taken in Brown Summit, NC., 3-9-03.