spiked speedwell ID

[diggleken]

HI All,
any views on this please - last summer, thought to be spiked speedwell, veronica spicata, northern version(!)

Thanks a lot
Ken

[KeenTeen17]

looks like it to me. What sort of surroundings was it in? Theres a possibility of the garden speedwell or hybrid between the two but it looks like the spiked to me.

[leifus]

id say it was the garden one...

[diggleken]

i've wondered about garden connection too - it was found nowhere near a garden, in fairly wild rough land (sparsely populated village, no houses nearer than 250yds or so), around a moorland stream bank - all other plants were heather and bramble, rough grasses and rushes with some elders.
I gather these are mainly Norfolk area, but there is a sub species (northern)population in north wales and also in yorkshire, but I dont know where.
I am fairly confident, but . . . . . . .
Cheers
Ken

[IanS]

hi Ken
Yes you are right, there is an East Anglian version found in Breckland. Its very rare though. The only place I know it grows is on a nature reserve but you can't get to see them because of protected ground nesting birds!

[diggleken]

Thanks everyone - i'm leaning to a wild version - I'll check it out again this year. gorgeous flower.
Ken