Germander Speedwell

Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys)
The violet and cowslip, blue-bell and rose are known to thousands - the Veronica is overlooked. The ploughboys know it, and the wayside children, the mowers and those that linger in the fields, but few else!
Richard Jefferies

There are several different types of speedwell to be found in Leazes Park sometimes within a few feet of each other. They are small and easily overlooked but it is worth 'lingering in the fields' of Leazes Park to find them. Don't bother picking them. You shouldn't do it anyway, but it is a waste of time with speedwells because they don't tolerate handling and blue petal ring falls off long before you have got them home.
For the moment, the subject of the blog is the most striking of the Speedwells with the biggest flower - the germander speedwell. Many features of the germander speedwell apply to other members of the genus. So it is a good starting point.

Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys) Flowers ~  with bilateral symmetry, about 10mm across, showing
4 sapphire blue petals fused at their bases and a white centre.
2 stamens and 2 and a single ovary, style and stigma.

Members of the genus Veronica have 4 green sepals and 4 petals that are usually varying shades of sapphire blue. The petals are fused at the bases and the corolla is asymmetric in that the lower petal is smaller and the upper petal is largest resulting in bilateral or mirror symmetry.
There are two stamens (a strong diagnostic feature) and a single ovary style and stigma.
Diagnostic features of Speedwell flowers

The Germander Speedwell has the largest flowers that are about 8 mm across with a prominent white central 'eye'. It may have been that that gave rise to the folk name of 'Angel Eyes' and certainly they can look like a sea of palest blue eyes staring back at you from the undergrowth.
Perhaps the strongest diagnostic feature of the Germander Speedwell compared to other speedwells is the double line of hairs along its stem - see photograph below.

Germander Speedwell showing the characteristic double line of hairs along the stem.

The leaves are almost stalkless and roughly triangular in shape. They are also coarsely toothed and the scientific name chamaedrys derives from this because the leaves were thought to have some resemblance to a dwarf oak -chamai meaning of the ground or dwarf and drys meaning oak

Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys) leaves. In this case, the leaves are sessile
although they can also have short stalks (petioles) The leaves are roughly triangular
and coarsely toothed.

Where to find Germander Speedwell in Leazes Park

A good place to find Germander Speedwell in early May is
the square picnic area (arrowed in white) that used to be a
bowling green. 
Germander Speedwell pops up in numerous locations in the park but one of the best sites is the old bowling green, now a picnic area, near the children's playground. Of course, it is no longer a bowling green and has grown a little wild. There is a raised border area around the edge which is rarely mowed, is a great place for wildflowers in general and in early May Germander speedwell is easy to find.

Taxonomy

The Speedwells used to belong in the Scrophulariaceae or Figwort family. This was an odd family with members who seemed to have little in common. It was not surprising then, that with the advent of molecular taxonomy this group would fall apart. The Speedwells now belong in the family Veronicaceae along with Foxgloves and Ivy Leaved Toadflax both of which we will encounter in future blogs - if I get around it.
The other members of genus Veronica that you can find in Leazes Park include
Common Field Speedwell Veronica persica that can be found in the flower beds by the terrace.
Thyme-leaved Speedwell  Veronica serpifolia found naturalised in the grass in various locations.
Slender Speedwell Veronica filiformis is also to be found forming mats of blue flowers in the grass.
Wall speedwell Veronica arvensis again found in scattered locations in the park.
There might well be more than this and I would be surprised if there are not some that I have overlooked. If so do let me know.
To separate these species out you will need to use a key. I recommend the Wild Flower Key by Francis Rose or the Collins Wild Flower Guide.

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