Speedwell for ID

[davidbr]

I've posted this one before in my diary thread without success, but since I can't get anywhere on my own I thought I'd give it another go

From the location (alongside the River Avon, in central Bristol) I'd say it was either a garden escape or a casual, but it doesn't match any of the species in my Alien Plants of the British Isles so at the moment I'm at a total loss



The only species in there I haven't been able to find a decent online image of for comparison is Crested Field-speedwell, Veronica crista-gallii; it's also one that's said to be naturalised in "North Somerset" (I've no idea where??) so worth at least ruling out

[JennyS]

Hi David, some photo's here of Crested Speedwell:

Crested Speedwell, Veronica crista-gallii

[treecreeper]

....and here is the BSBI map...but I don't know where the River Avon is!

BSBI Maps Scheme: Hectad Map

[Tiggrx]

Having looked through what feels like a couple of million Veronica pics, the best match I can find is Veronica 'Waterperry Blue'. Not particularly convinced by this though

[KeenTeen17]

Originally Posted by JennyS

Hi David, some photo's here of Crested Speedwell:

Crested Speedwell, Veronica crista-gallii

looks right to me

[davidbr]

Thanks to everyone who's had a go at this one, but I don't think we're there yet

It certainly isn't V. crista-galli, the flowers on that appear to always be solitary, and from what I've been able to find out, Waterperry Blue is a cultivar of Creeping Speedwell V. peduncularis - that's a plant I've found on several occasions already this spring, so I'm fairly confident in eliminating it.

This certainly seems a troublesome one - still, the beauty of photos is that there's no time limit on them

[Tiggrx]

Originally Posted by davidbr

Waterperry Blue is a cultivar of Creeping Speedwell V. peduncularis - that's a plant I've found on several occasions already this spring, so I'm fairly confident in eliminating it.

from a quick look online I've found 'Waterperry Blue' blue attributed to V. peduncularis, V. austriaca & V. prostrata

By the way. The plant commonly grown as Veronica peduncularis 'Georgia Blue' is in fact not V. peduncularis but V. umbrosa.