Slender Speedwell?

[Pete Collins]

Is this Slender Speedwell? I'm going purely by the comment on a recent thread that it frequently grows in large clumps on lawns, as this was doing near where my 'digs' are in Huntingdon.

Thanks.

[aeshna5]

Looks like Germander Speedwell to me; in Slender flowers are solitary from axils.

[Pete Collins]

Interesting. So it's not Slender Speedwell then - but I thought Germander Speedwell was a much darker blue than this. It's a flower I know well (or thought I did!) and I saw lots of it all over the place in my patch of the Chilterns on Saturday. When I saw this stuff in Huntingdon it never occurred to me at all that it might be Germander Speedwell as the colour was so different.

[davidbr]

No, I'd say it's Slender Speedwell (Veronica filiformis) - Germander Speedwell has flowers which are much darker blue

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by davidbr

No, I'd say it's Slender Speedwell (Veronica filiformis) - Germander Speedwell has flowers which are much darker blue

According to Stace, subgenus Pocilla of which V. fliliformis is a member, have flowers solitary in leaf axils- not what is shown in the photos.

[ceterach]

Looks to me the plant has terminal inflorescences, therefore has to be Germander Speedwell (V.chamaedrys) whatever the colour of the flower.

Edit: Sorry crossed posts with the above

[Tiggrx]

I agree - Germander Speedwell - flower colour is often darker than this, but the shade of blue can vary.

[Pete Collins]

All the experts agree, so who am I to argue!

Thank you all very much. I never knew Germander Speedwell could be that colour (and yes, I know I shouldn't determine species from the colour alone!).

[bigdave60dog]

Accirding to my knowledge only Germander had two rows of hairs runnning down the stem.
Maybe someone will put my right if thsi has changed.
Dave