Veronica arvensis L., Plantaginaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Veronica sartoriana Boiss. & Heldr.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: zhi li po po na

English: common speedwell, corn speedwell, field speedwell, rock speedwell, wall speedwell

Japanese: tachi-inunofuguri

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Annuals. Stems erect or ascending, simple or branched and diffuse, 5-30 cm tall, with white multicellular hairs often concentrated along 2 lines. Leaves often 3-5 pairs, lower ones short petiolate, upper sessile; leaf blade ovate-orbicular, 5-15 x 4-10 mm, hirsute, margin crenate, veins 3-5. Racemes terminal, lax, elongated to 20 cm, many flowered, with multicellular glandular hairs; bracts alternate, leaflike, lower ones narrowly ovate and sparsely crenate, upper ones narrowly elliptic and entire. Pedicel less than 2 mm. Calyx 4-lobed, 3-4 mm; lobes linear-lanceolate, lower 2 lobes longer than upper 2. Corolla blue to blue-purple, rotate, ca. 2 mm, shorter than calyx; lobes orbicular to narrowly oblong. Stamens shorter than corolla. Capsule obcordate, strongly compressed, 2.5-3.5 x 3-4 mm, glabrous, margin glandular ciliate, apex notch very deep; lobes rounded-obtuse. Style less than 1 mm, shorter than to equaling notch. Seeds oblong, ca. 1 mm, smooth"  (Flora of China online).

Habitat/ecology:  In China, "naturalized in waste grassy places and along roads; below 2000 m"  (Flora of China online).  In New Zealand, "Often very common; open modified habitats such as waste places, roadsides, arable land, short and poor or depleted pastures, lawns, stream beds and cliffs from sea level to c. 1000 m"  (Webb et al., 1988; p. 1209).  In Australia, "grows in grassy areas, disturbed sites, weed of lawns and gardens; widespread"  (NSW PlantNET).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Canary and Madeira Islands, Europe, northern Africa, western and central Asia; widely naturalized elsewhere (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 558)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1250) Voucher cited: Faurie 892 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1250)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1250)
New Zealand (offshore islands) Kermadec Islands	Kermadec Islands	introduced invasive	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 1209)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	introduced invasive	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013)
British Columbia (province of Canada) Province of British Columbia	Canada (British Columbia)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced invasive	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 189)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 1209)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	introduced invasive	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (Oregon)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (Washington)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Canada Canada	Canada	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Veronica arvensis, please let us know.