Weed Information: Veronica peregrina (speedwell, purslane)
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Veronica peregrina (speedwell, purslane)

Family: Scrophulariaceae

Description

While the small, heart-shaped fruits are typical of the genus, the linear leaves and white flowers are a combination of characters sufficient to distinguish purslane speedwell from all other species of the genus. The specific epithet `peregrina` means `migratory` and refers to the rapid invasive characteristics of the species. The photos on pages 514, 515 of Weeds of Nebraska and the Great Plains 1994 are actually this species rather than Veronica arvensis as listed.

Characteristics

Flower Color
  • White
Inflorescence Type (How the flowers are arranged on the plant)
  • Axillary racemes
  • Solitary, axillary
  • Terminal raceme
Number of Petals
  • 4 petals
  • 5 petals
Petal Separation
  • United at base only (<25% length)
  • United from 25% - 75% length
  • United > 75% of length
Petal Tip
  • Rounded
Flower Symmetry
  • Flowers slightly irregular
  • Flowers strongly irregular
Flower Length (Head length in the Asteraceae)
  • 1 mm (.04 inch)
  • 2 mm (.08 inch)
  • 3 mm (.12 inch)
  • 4 mm (.16 inch)
Flower Width (Head width in the Asteraceae)
  • 2 mm (.08 inch)
  • 3 mm (.12 inch)
Number of Sepals
  • 4 sepals
Sepal Separation
  • Completely free to base
  • United at base < 25% length
Sepal Tip
  • Pointed
Flower Sex
  • Bisexual (perfect)
Number of Styles
  • 1 style
Number of Stamens
  • 2 stamens
Stamens Attached to the Petals
  • Stamens attached to the petals
Stamens Connate (united)
  • Filaments or anthers NOT united

Carpel Separation
  • Carpels united (or one)
Number of Carpels
  • 2 carpels
Ovary Position
  • Superior (hypogynous)
Fruit Type
  • Capsule, 2-celled
Fruit Length at Maturity
  • 3 mm (.12 inch)
  • 4 mm (.16 inch)
  • 5 mm (.20 inch)
Fruit Width at Maturity
  • 3 mm (.12 inch)
  • 4 mm (.16 inch)
  • 5 mm (.20 inch)
Burs
  • Fruit or seed NOT bur-like

Leaf Arrangement
  • Alternate
  • Opposite
  • Opposite below, alternate above
Leaf Type
  • Simple (including lobed leaves)
Stipules
  • Lacking
Tendrils
  • Tendrils absent
Venation
  • Arcuate
  • Pinnate
Petiole (leaf stem) Blade Ratio
  • Petiole absent (leaf sessile)
  • Petiole < 25% total length
Leaf Length (blade PLUS petiole)
  • 5 - 10 mm (.20 - .40 inch)
  • 1 - 2 cm (.40 - .80 inch)
  • 2 - 4 cm (.80 - 1.60 inches)
Leaf Width
  • 1 - 5 mm (.04 - .20 inch)
  • 5 - 10 mm (.20 - .40 inch)
Leaf Shape (simple leaves only)
  • Linear or filiform
  • Oblanceolate
  • Oblong
Leaf or Leaflet Margin
  • Dentate
  • Entire
  • Serrate
Leaf or Leaflet Blade Base
  • Acute (cuneate)
  • Acuminate (attenuate)
  • Clasping
Leaf or Leaflet Tip
  • Acute
  • Rounded (obtuse)
Leaf or Leaflet Blade Surface
  • Glabrous (NO hairs)
  • Glandular
  • Pubescent
Succulence
  • Not succulent

Milky Juice
  • Juice NOT milky (watery)
Woodiness
  • Herbaceous
Spines or Thorns
  • Spines or Thorns ABSENT
Aromatic (vegetative structures)
  • Not aromatic
Life Cycle
  • Annual
Growth Habit (while flowering)
  • Spreading ascending
  • Erect, columnar (narrow)
Plant Height at Maturity
  • 5 - 10 cm (2.0 - 4.0 inches)
  • 1 - 2 dm (4.0 - 8.0 inches)
  • 2 - 4 dm (8.0 - 16.0 inches)
Wind Dissemination
  • Not wind disseminated
Moisture Regime
  • Mesic
Chlorophyll
  • Present

Stem Cross Section
  • Round
Flowering Stem Leaves
  • Stem leaves greatly reduced
  • Stem uniformly leafy
Main Stem Branches
  • Main stem unbranched
  • Main stem branched

Root or Vegetative Propagule
  • Fibrous

US State
  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Illinois
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Massachusetts
  • Maine
  • Michigan
  • Missouri
  • Mississippi
  • North Carolina
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • West Virginia
  • Hawaii
  • Indiana
  • Maryland
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Iowa
  • Idaho
  • Minnesota
  • Montana
  • North Dakota
  • New Mexico
  • Nevada
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • South Dakota
  • Utah
  • Washington
  • Wyoming
  • Nebraska
Canadian Province or Territory
  • British Columbia
  • New Brunswick
  • Nova Scotia
  • Ontario
  • Prince Edward Island
  • Quebec
  • Alberta
  • Manitoba
  • Newfoundland
  • Saskatchewan
  • Yukon
  • Northwest Territory
Other
  • Puerto Rico
  • District of Columbia

  • California Growers Weed Identification Handbook, 1968 - 1998 University of California Publication # 4030-1, See page: 123
  • Common Weeds of the Canadian Prairies, 1963 (Cat# A53-1136-1) See page: 65
  • Common Weeds of the United States, 1971 (ISBN 0-486-20504-5) See page: 340
  • Garden Weeds of Southern California, 1981, See page: 98
  • Gilkey`s Weeds of the Pacific Northwest, 1980 (ISBN 0-88246-039-0) See page: 263
  • How to Know the Weeds, 1972, (ISBN# 0-697-04880-2) See page: 142
  • Manual of Ohio Weeds, 1931 Ohio Ag. Exp. Station Bull. # 475, See page: 77
  • Ontario Weeds, 1992 Agdex 640, Publication #505 See page: 194
  • Representative Missouri Weeds and Their Control, 1941 Univ. of Missouri Ag. Exp Station Bulletin #433, See page: 163
  • South Dakota Weeds, 1967 South Dakota State University, See page: 152
  • South Dakota Weeds 2002 South Dakota Dept. of Ag. 523 E. Capitol, Foss Bldg. Pierre, South Dakota 57501 See page: 132
  • Weed Seeds of the Great Plains, 1993 University of Kansas# 92-125-B ISBN# 0-7006-0651-3 See index #: 181
  • Weeds, 1955 (1980) Walter Conrad Muenscher, ISBN# 0-8014-1266-8 See page: 399, 401
  • Weeds, A Golden Guide, 1972 ISBN#0-307-24353-2 See page: 108
  • Weeds, 1957 Illinois State Dept. of Ag., See page: 80
  • Weeds of Arkansas 1981 (MP 169-5M-3-81) See page: 61
  • Weeds of California, 1970, State of California Publications and Documents. See page: 404, 405
  • Weeds of California and other Western States, 2007 (ISBN 13: 978-1-879906-69-3) See Page: 1486
  • Weeds of Colorado, 1990 Cooperative Extension, Colorado State Univ. Bulletin 521A, See page: 137
  • Weeds of Nebraska and the Great Plains, 1994 (ISBN 0939870-00-4) See page: 514
  • Weeds of Southern Turfgrasses, 1992 Univ. of Florida, Gainesville Publication # SP-79, See page: 188
  • Weeds of the Midwestern United States & Central Canada, University of Georgia 2010, ISBN#0-8203-3506-1 See page: 291
  • Weeds of the North Central States, 1981 Univ. of Illinois, Urbana - Champaign Bulletin # 772, See page: 166
  • Weeds of the Northeast, 1956, Univ. of Delaware Field Manual #1 See species #: 178
  • Weeds of the Northeast, 1997 Cornell University ISBN# 0-8014-8334-4 See page: 88, 308
  • Weeds of the Northern United States and Canada, 1964 Montgomery See page: 153
  • Weeds of the South, University of Georgia 2009, ISBN#0-8203-3046-9 See page: 285
  • Weeds of the United States and Their Control, Lorenzi 1987, ISBN# 0-442-25884-4 See page: 271
  • Weeds of the West, 1992 (ISBN 0941570-13-4) See page: 556
  • Weeds of the West, 2000 (ISBN 0941570-13-4) See page: 550
  • Weeds of Utah, 1971 UAES Special Report 21, See page: 83
  • Listed as a `Weed` by the Biota of North America Program, 2008 x
  • Listed in the WSSA Composite List of Weeds X
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