Corn speedwell
July 31, 2015
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EmailVeronica arvensis L.
Life cycle
Prostrate, spreading winter annual.
Corn speedwell plants.
Leaves
Lower and middle leaves are opposite, broadly egg-shaped, hairy, short-stalked with rounded teeth along the margins. Small, narrow, bract-like upper leaves are alternate and without petioles.
Actual size of lower (left) and upper (right) leaves of corn speedwell.
Stems
Prostrate and mat-forming, with many branches that spread from the base.
Flowers and fruit
Light blue to violet, inconspicuous flowers are formed in the axils of the upper bract-like leaves on elongated flowering stems. Fruit are hairy, roundly heart-shaped capsules that contain many tiny, yellowish seeds.
Corn speedwell flowering stem.
Reproduction
Seeds.
Similar weeds
Purslane speedwell (Veronica peregrina L.) Differs by having a more erect habit; hairless, oblong to linear leaves with smooth to slightly toothed margins; and tiny white flowers.
Purslane speedwell stem (left). Purselane speedwell plant (right).
Purselane speedwell flowers (left). Purselane speedwell capsules (right).
Slender speedwell (Veronica filiformis Sm.) Differs by having a perennial nature with stems that root at the nodes, round to kidney-shaped leaves and bluish white flowers on slender flower stalks.
Slender speedwell stem (left). Slender speedwell foliage (right).
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