Veronica americana

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Veronica americana
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Lamiales Family: Plantaginaceae Genus: Veronica Species: V. americana
Binomial name
Veronica americana Schwein. ex Benth.

Veronica americana, variously called American brookline or American speedwell,^[1] is a plant native to temperate and arctic Asia and North America^[2] where it grows in streams and bottomlands.

It is a herbaceous perennial with glabrous stems 10–100 cm long that bear terminal or axillary racemes or spikes of soft violet flowers. The leaves are 1.5-8 cm long and 3 to 20 times as long as wide, short-petiolate, glabrous, serrate to almost entire.^[3]

[edit] Uses and edibility

American speedwell is edible and nutritious and is reported to have a flavor similar to watercress. Native Americans used Veronica species as an expectorant tea to alleviate bronchial congestion associated with asthma and allergies. The plant can be confused with Skullcap and other members of the mint family. Members of the mint family have square sided stems, and Veronica species have rounded stems, and are easily distinguished from skullcap.^[4]

[edit] References

1. ^ Veronica americana Schwein. ex Benth.. PLANTS Profile. United States Department of Agriculture; Natural Resources Conservation Service. Retrieved on 2008-03-30.
2. ^ Veronica americana Schwein. ex Benth.. GRIN Taxonomy for Plants. Germplasm Resources Information Network. Retrieved on 2008-03-30.
3. ^ Veronica americana. WTU Herbarium Image Collection. Burke Museum, University of Washington. Retrieved on 2008-03-30.
4. ^ Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West, Gregory L. Tilford, ISBN 0-87842-359-1