Species: Thyme-leaved Speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia)
Family: Plantains (PLANTAGINACEAE)
Category: Flowering Plants
Location: NW
A. Flowering Plants
More extensive information on flowering plants can be found in a separate blog post.
B. Plantains (PLANTAGINACEAE)
Many members have flat leaves that seem to lay on the ground, hence the derivation of the name from the Latin 'planta', sole of the foot. The flowers are on long, leafless stalks. The best known plantain is the banana.
C. Thyme-leaved Speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia)
The pale blue or white flowers have purple veins, and are characteristic of this creeping native plant, whose blooms appear from April. A speedwell infusion is good for coughs, catarrh and skin complaints. Speedwells are called 'thunderbolts', as picking them was thought to bring on thunder. Another name for them is Birds Eye, because of the belief that if you picked them the birds would peck your eyes out.
