Veronica americana

Veronica americana
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Plantaginaceae
Genus: Veronica
Species: V. americana
Binomial name
Veronica americana
Schwein. ex Benth.

Veronica americana, variously called American brooklime[1] or American speedwell,[1][2] is a plant native to temperate and arctic Asia and North America[1] 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]

The plant can be confused with Scutellaria (skullcap) and other members of the mint family. Members of the mint family have square sided stems, and Veronica species have rounded stems.[4]

Uses

American speedwell is used both as food and as a medicinal plant. It is rich in nutrients and is reported to have a flavor similar to watercress.

References

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

Further reading


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