Veronica (plant)

Germander speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys )

Speedwell ( Veronica ) is a plant genus that recently the family of the plantain family ( Plantaginaceae ) is counted by molecular biological investigations. In the literature it is usually done even among the figwort plants, Rachenblütlern ( Scrophulariaceae ) or as a separate family of speedwell plants ( Veronicaceae ). With up to 450 species, the genus Veronica is very rich in species. Also in Central Europe are found numerous representatives. The German genus name comes from the appreciation of the forest - honor price ( Veronica officinalis) in naturopathy ago: " To Him be honor and price as shown unica medicina, the only true remedy ."

Description

Speedwell species are annual to perennial herbaceous plants. The species previously identified to the genus lifting are shrubby or even tree -shaped. All in all, these are mostly dwarf plants with creeping or ascending stems. The leaves are against permanent short -stalked or sessile.

The flowers are grouped in multi-flowered inflorescences aged men. The small, mostly blue (rarely white) flowers are due to the elimination of a sepal ( in some species recurrence of a smaller fifth sepal ) or coalescence of two cruciform petals. The number of stamens are reduced from five to two.

Occurrence

Speedwell species are Holarctic spread across Europe, North America and North Asia. There are also areas in the tropical - alpine Africa, New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand. As the site prefer many types loamy sand to clay soils mild such as a " weed " in gardens, meadows, pastures and arable land to Hack crop rotation. But there are also species within the aquatic environment.

In Central Europe occurring species of the genus Veronica

  • Acinos speedwell (Veronica acinifolia L.)
  • Field - speedwell ( Veronica agrestis L.)
  • Alpine Speedwell ( Veronica alpina L.)
  • Blue Water - speedwell ( Veronica anagallis - aquatica L.)
  • Mud Speedwell ( Veronica anagalloides cast. )
  • Leafless Speedwell ( Veronica aphylla L.)
  • Spitzzähniger Speedwell ( Veronica argute serrata rule & Schmalh. )
  • Field - speedwell ( Veronica arvensis L.)
  • Austrian speedwell ( Veronica austriaca L.)
  • Bachbunge (Veronica beccabunga L.)
  • Daisy Speedwell ( Veronica bellidioides L.)
  • Reddish water speedwell (Veronica catenata Pennell )
  • Germander speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys L.)
  • Heath Speedwell ( Veronica dillenii Crantz )
  • Thread - speedwell ( Veronica filiformis Sm )
  • Rock Speedwell ( Veronica fruticans Jacq. )
  • Subshrub speedwell (Veronica fruticulosa L.)
  • Ivy Speedwell ( Veronica hederifolia L.)
  • Langblättriger speedwell ( Veronica longifolia L.; Syn: Pseudolysimachion longifolium (L.) Opiz )
  • Mountain - speedwell ( Veronica montana L.)
  • Real Speedwell ( Veronica officinalis L.)
  • Matt Speedwell ( Veronica opaca Fries)
  • Stranger speedwell ( Veronica peregrina L.)
  • Persian speedwell ( Veronica persica Poiret )
  • Shiny Speedwell ( Veronica polita Fries)
  • Previously Speedwell ( Veronica praecox space. )
  • Low- Lying Speedwell ( Veronica prostrata L.)
  • Serpentine - speedwell ( Veronica scardica Griseb. )
  • Sign - speedwell ( Veronica scutellata L.)
  • Quendel speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia L.)
  • Ähriger Speedwell ( Veronica spicata L.; Syn: Pseudolysimachion spicatum (L.) Opiz )
  • Panicles speedwell (Veronica spuria L.; Syn. Veronica foliosa Waldst & Kit; Pseudolysimachion spurium (L.) Rauschert. )
  • Hain- speedwell ( Veronica M. A. sublobata fish. )
  • Great Speedwell ( Veronica teucrium L.)
  • Three Piece Speedwell ( Veronica triphyllos L.)
  • Nesselblättriger Speedwell ( Veronica urticifolia Jacq. )
  • Spring Speedwell ( Veronica verna L.)
  • Vienna germander speedwell (Veronica vindobonensis (MA fish. ) MA fish. )

Other species from Europe (selection)

  • Veronica allionii Vill., Occurs only in the French and Italian Alps southwest.
  • Veronica aragonensis straw, occurs only in the Spanish Pyrenees.
  • Veronica aznavourii villagers, occurs only in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula.
  • Veronica bachofenii Heuffel, occurs only in Eastern Europe.
  • Veronica baumgartenii Roem. & Schult., Occurs only in the Carpathian Mountains, Bulgaria and the former Yugoslavia.
  • Caucasian speedwell ( Veronica caucasica M.Bieb. ), Occurs only in the Caucasus.
  • Veronica chamaepithyoides Lam., Occurs only in Spain.
  • Veronica contandriopouli Quézel, occurs in southern Greece.
  • Veronica crista -galli Steven, is found in the Caucasus.
  • Veronica cymbalaria Bodard, occurs in southern Europe.
  • Veronica erinoides Boiss. & Spruner, is found only in the mountains south of Greece.
  • Veronica euxina Turrill, occurs in Bulgaria.
  • Veronica gentianoides Vahl, occurs in the Crimea, in Turkey, the Caucasus and Iran.
  • Veronica glauca Sm, occurs only on the Balkan Peninsula; to the subspecies: Veronica glauca subsp. kavusica ( Rech.f. ) M.A.Fisch. (Syn. Veronica kavusica Rech.f. ) is only found on Crete.

Other types

Other types are (including the former genus lifting ):

  • Veronica armena Boiss. & A. Huet, occurs in Turkey and the Caucasus
  • Veronica buchananii Hook. f ( Syn: Lifting buchananii ( Hook. f ) Cockayne & Allan ), is found only in New Zealand
  • Veronica caespitosa Boiss., Is found in the Near East
  • Veronica cinerea Boiss. & Balansa, occurs in Turkey
  • Veronica kellereri Degen & Urum. , Occurs in Mazedinien
  • Veronica kemulariae A. I. Kuth. , Is found in the Caucasus and Georgia
  • Veronica kotschyana Benth., Occurs in Turkey
  • Veronica nipponica Makino, occurs in Japan
  • Veronica petraea Steven, occurs in the Caucasus
  • Veronica speciosa R. Cunn. ex A. Cunn. ( Syn: .. Hoisting speciosa (R. Cunn ex A. Cunn ) Cockayne & Allan ), is found only in New Zealand
  • Veronica tauricola Bornm. , Occurs in Turkey
  • American speedwell ( Veronica wormskjoldii Roem. & Schult. ), Occurs in North America and Greenland

No longer belong to the genus Veronica:

  • Drug Speedwell ( Veronicastrum virginicum (L.) Farw; Syn. Veronica virginica L.)
  • Blue Mänderle ( Paederota Bonarota (L.) L.; Syn: Veronica Bonarota L.)

Toxic and medicinal plant

When consumption of raw flower heads in small amounts, it can lead to a hallucinogenic effect.

Specifically, the Forest speedwell, also called Real Speedwell, is used as a natural remedy for internal and external use.

The bitter herb and some balsamic tasting herb ( Herba Veronicae ) is collected in the summer with the flowers. Infusions of them are drunk as a pectoral; the fresh herb is used, however, for the preparation of herbal juices.

Among the ingredients of the special prize are bitter substances, tannins and saponins. Great Veronica stocks on pastures can cause symptoms of poisoning by the saponins in cattle.

Folk beliefs

Popularly called the frequently occurring blue germander speedwell thunderstorms flowers because it was believed that they either flower grown in thunderstorms years or her pluck rain or thunderstorm causes.

Asterids Veronica anagallis-aquatica
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