Veronica cymbalaria

Pale speedwell                                                                                    Λευκή βερόνικα







Veronicaceae - speedwell family                                                                       Dicot.

 

A plant of cliffs and limestone pavements, pale speedwell (Veronica cymbalaria) can also be found in towns and cities growing on old stone walls. It is a pretty white flower of early spring; the flowers occur singly or in pairs hovering above a tangle of reddish stems. the whole plant is covered in bristly hairs.

The English name speedwell is thought to be because the petals fade and fall quickly. The genus name, Veronica is from St. Veronica, who is said to have been made well by touching the hem of Jesus’ robe. Cymbalaria describes the leaves as being round, like cymbals.

9-12mm,
12-20cm,                                             JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
 
Family dispute

This  plant has been designated by some botanical authorities to the Plantaginaceae, plantain family,1 and other to Scrophulariaceae.2 The WFS* has included it in  the Veronicaceae, the speedwell family , following the classification used in the Atlas of Aegean Flora.3
  1. *Wild Flowers of Skopelos

  2. 1.The Plant List. (2013). Version1.1 Published on the Internet; http//theplantlist.org/ (accessed 25 March 2017.

  3. 2.USDA. Natural Resources Conservation Service.

  4. 3.Strid A. 2016: Atlas of the Aegean Flora. Part 1: Text and plates. - Berlin: Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin, Freie Universistät Berlin. - Englera 33(1).

Urtica pilulifera
NettleUrtica_pilulifera.html