Veronica chamaedrys explained

Veronica chamaedrys, the germander speedwell, bird's-eye speedwell, or cat's eyes,^{[1] [2]} is a herbaceous perennial species of flowering plant in the plantain family Plantaginaceae.

Description

Veronica chamaedrys can grow to 20cm (10inches) tall,^[3] but is frequently shorter, with stems that are hairy only along two opposite sides. The leaves are in opposite pairs, triangular and crenate, sessile or with short petioles. The flowers are deep blue with a zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical) four-lobed corolla, NaN1NaN1 wide. The capsules are wider than they are long.^[4]

The blossoms of this plant wilt very quickly upon picking, which has given it the ironic name "Männertreu", or "men's faithfulness" in German.^[5]

Veronica chamaedrys is a common, hardy turf so-called weed when it invades turf and lawns. It creeps along the ground, spreading by sending down roots at the stem nodes. It is propagated both by seed and stem fragments. Leaves may defoliate in the summer and winter but the stems will grow again next season. Unlike at least five other common speedwell species, such as corn speedwell (Veronica arvensis),^[6] the leaves are opposite on both the upper and lower parts of the plant.^{[7] [8]} See Veronica for special weed control considerations.

The specific name chamaedrys is a combining form meaning "low" or "on the ground" derived from ancient Greek.^[9]

Distribution

This species is native to Europe.^[10] It is found on other continents as an introduced species.

Uses

Veronica chamaedrys has been used in traditional Austrian herbal medicine internally (as tea) for disorders of the nervous system, respiratory tract, cardiovascular system, and metabolism.^[11] In 18th century Britain, the plant had the reputation of being a cure for gout as well as being popular for making tea, the latter being so prevalent that the plant was nearly eradicated from London during the 18th century.^[12]

External links

• Jepson Manual Treatment
• Washington Burke Museum
• Photo gallery

Notes and References

1. Web site: Veronica chamaedrys. www.ct-botanical-society.org. 2017-12-30.
2. Web site: Notes. Keats, John. 1884. Poetical Works. www.bartleby.com. 2017-12-30.
3. Web site: Veronica chamaedrys L. - Germander Speedwell. Jan 30, 2024.
4. Book: Stace, C. A. . Stace, C. A.

   . Stace, C. A.. 2010 . New Flora of the British Isles . limited . Third . Cambridge University Press . Cambridge, U.K. . 450 . 9780521707725 .

5. Friedhelm Sauerhoff, Pflanzennamen im Vergleich: Benennungstheorie und Etymologie [Plant names compared: theory of naming and etymology] (Stuttgart, Germany: Franz Steiner, 2001), page 206: Das bestätigt auch E. Mießner, wenn er zum Gamander-Ehrenpreis feststellt: "Da die Blüten leicht abfallen, auch deutscher Spottname 'Männertreu'..." (E. Mießner also confirms that, when he observes about Veronica chamaedrys: "Since the blossoms easily fall off, [it is] also [known by] the derisive German nickname, 'men's faithfulness'...")
6. other Turf Weeds at Virginia Tech: corn speedwell, Veronica arvensis http://turfweeds.contentsrvr.net/category_detail.pg_24.vesh
7. Turf Weeds at Virginia Tech; germander speedwell, Veronica chamaedrys: http://turfweeds.contentsrvr.net/category_detail.pg_17.vesh
8. Weed ID & info; Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Michigan State University and Ronald Calhoun: http://www.msuturfweeds.net/details/_/germander_speedwell_13/
9. Book: Klein, Ernest . 1966 . A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language . New York . Elsevier . 265 .
10. Web site: Den virtuella floran – stängd för ombyggnad.
11. 10.1016/j.jep.2013.06.007 . 23770053 . 3791396 . Ethnopharmacological in vitro studies on Austria's folk medicine—An unexplored lore in vitro anti-inflammatory activities of 71 Austrian traditional herbal drugs . Journal of Ethnopharmacology . 149 . 3 . 750–71 . 2013 . Vogl . Sylvia . Picker . Paolo . Mihaly-Bison . Judit . Fakhrudin . Nanang . Atanasov . Atanas G. . Heiss . Elke H. . Wawrosch . Christoph . Reznicek . Gottfried . Dirsch . Verena M. . Saukel . Johannes . Kopp . Brigitte .
12. Book: Flora Britannica: supported by common ground. Mabey. Bob Gibbons and Gareth Lovett Jones (photographers). Chatto & Windus. 978-1856193771. 805221553. 1996.