common speedwell

LC - Least Concern

N4N5 - Apparently Secure to Secure

SNA - Not applicable

not listed

UPL - Obligate upland

UPL - Obligate upland

FACU - Facultative upland

Common speedwell is a common exotic weed. It is native to Europe and Asia. It was introduced into North America as an ornamental, escaped cultivation, and is now naturalized in two widely separated ranges. The eastern population extends from Maine to Minnesota south to North Carolina and Missouri, and in Canada from New Brunswick to Ontario. The western population extends from Washington and Oregon to Montana and Wyoming, and in Canada from British Columbia to Alberta.

Common speedwell is an erect, perennial forb that rises on a single stem from fibrous roots. The stem is up to 16″ long, lies flat on the ground,and is slightly curved upward (ascending) at the tip. At intervals it produces a small swelling (node). Fibrous roots develop on the lower side of the node and single branch rises from the upper side. It often forms dense mats. The stem is green and is densely and uniformly covered with spreading, non-glandular hairs. The branches are erect or ascending, 2″ to 10″ tall, green, leafy, and densely and uniformly covered with spreading, non-glandular hairs.

The leaves are opposite, ⅝″ to 2″ (15 to 50 mm) long, ¼″ to 13 ⁄16″ (6 to 30 mm) wide, about 1½ to 3 times as long as wide. The leaf blades are elliptic (widest at the middle) or inversely egg-shaped (widest slightly above the middle), angled to a short stalk at the base, and rounded or bluntly pointed at the tip. The upper and lower surfaces are moderately to densely covered with soft, spreading, non-glandular hairs. The margins are finely toothed, the larger leaves with 12 to 20 teeth per side.

The inflorescence is usually a solitary, spike-like, unbranched cluster (raceme) of several flowers rising from only the upper leaf axils. Occasionally there are two racemes rising from the same leaf axil. The small flowers are on 1 ⁄32″ to 1 ⁄16″ (1 to 2 mm) long stalks (pedicels). At the base of each pedicel there is single small modified leaf (bract). The bract is green, narrowly lance-shaped, and longer than the pedicel. It is covered with spreading, gland-tipped hairs.

Each flower is ¼″ to ⅜″ in diameter. There are 4 outer floral leaves (sepals), 4 petals, 2 stamens, and 1 style. The sepals are green, ⅛″ to ¼″ (4 to 6 mm) long, and covered with spreading gland-tipped hairs. They are fused at the base into a short calyx tube, then separated into 4 lance-shaped lobes. The petals are light blue or lavender with dark veins. They are fused at the base into a short tube then separated into 4 lobes that are much longer than the tube. The upper three lobes are round to egg-shaped, ⅛″ to 5 ⁄16″ (4 to 8 mm) wide, and about equal in size. The lower petal is as long but much narrower. The stamens have white anthers and project well beyond the petals. The style is ⅛″ (3 to 4 mm) long and also projects well beyond the petals.

The fruit is a flattened, yellowish-brown, ⅛″ (4 mm) long, ⅛″ (4 mm) wide, capsule with 12 to 24 tiny seeds. The capsule is broadly triangular or slightly heart-shaped with just a shallow notch at the tip. The surfaces and margin are covered with gland-tipped hairs.

2″ to 10″

Light blue or lavender with dark veins

Dry. Abandoned fields, upland woodlands, roadsides, and disturbed areas.

April to July

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 22, 28, 29, 30.

Native to Europe and Asia. Introduced and naturalized in North America.

Uncommon in Minnesota

Mat

Plants

Inflorescence

Leaves

Flowering Branch

Creeping Stem