Veronica perfoliata

Digger's Speedwell

Veronica perfoliata, commonly known as digger's speedwell, is a common perennial herb found at higher altitudes in south-eastern Australia
It is a low-growing multi-stemmed plant rising from a woody rootstock. It has rounded blue-grey foliage and sprays of intense violet-blue flowers at the end of arching branches. It is occasionally cultivated as a garden plant

Common name: Digger's Speedwell

The common name "digger's speedwell" derives from a belief that the species is a reliable indicator of the presence of gold
"Speedwell" is a name for several species of veronica

Conservation status: . . .

Etymology:

The genus name probably reflects a connection with Saint Veronica, whose Latin name is ultimately derived from Greek, Berenice
The specific epithet (perfoliata) refers to the plant having "perfoliate" leaves, where the stem appears to be passing through the leaves

Flowers:

The inflorescence is a slender raceme, 10–45 cm long with 25–70 flowers per stem
When fruiting the pedicel is 5–12 mm long
The smooth calyx lobes are 3–5 mm long and 0.5–1 cm wide
The individual violet-blue flower petals are 7–12 mm long
Flowering occurs from October to February

Fruit:

Leaves:

The leaves are smooth and bluish green with a powdery bloom, about 1.5–5.5 cm long and 15–40 mm wide
Leaves are either narrow or broad egg-shaped and arranged in opposite pairs, joined to the stem either in a wedge, heart, or stem-clasping configuration
The leaf margin may be entire, finely scalloped or with approximately 10 pairs of rough or shallow sharp teeth
Plants with narrower leaves generally grow in drier situations, whereas the broad-leaf form in wetter cooler locations
Leaves have 3-9 longitudinal veins radiating from the base

Stem & branches:

Numerous woody stems grow from a rootstock and form a clump, rarely branched below the inflorescence
It has arching decumbent branches 120 cm long

Roots:

Habit:

Habitat:

Distribution:

Digger's speedwell grows at higher altitudes between 530–1,780 m high in mountainous meadows, heath, eucalypt forest, and woodland in NSW, the Australian Capital Territory, and Victoria
It grows in similar areas to V. derwentiana but in shallow, often rocky soil on steep slopes rather than deeper soils in shaded sites
The broad range of the species contrasts with the belief that it indicates the presence of gold

Additional notes:

Taxonomy
- Robert Brown first formally described the species in 1810, using V. perfoliata, in the botanical survey Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae
- Constantine Rafinesque, Barbara Briggs and Friedrich Ehrendorfer changed the name to Parahebe perfoliata or Derwentia perfoliata, but the changes have not been accepted by the Australian Plant Census

Sources of information:

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