Common gypsyweed (Veronica officinalis)

Description: Found in agricultural seed, such as alfalfa. Green parts used for medicinal properties to treat coughs and gastrointestinal distress.

Habit: Spreading perennial, 2-10 in tall forb, hairy, creeping with erect branches.

Leaves: Opposite, oval to elliptical narrowing to the base, 1 1/2-3 times as long as wide, finely toothed, almost stalkless.

Stems: Hairy; green in color.

Flowers: Light blue in color, 4-parted, 1/4-1/3 in wide, lobes longer than the tube, inflorescence is stalked, spike-like cluster (raceme) of stalked flowers only from the upper leaf axils.

Fruit and seeds: Seed pod, triangular.

Habitat: Native to Asia, Africa and Europe. Found in dry areas; fields, upland woods.

Reproduction: By seed.

Similar species: Other species of Speedwell (Veronica spp.).

Monitoring and rapid response: Mowing; adequate fertilization; effectively controlled using any of several readily available general use herbicides such as triclopyr and dicamba.

Credits: The information provided in this factsheet was gathered from the USDA PLANTS Database and the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point.

Individual species images that appear with a number in a black box are courtesy of the Bugwood.org network (http://www.invasive.org).Individual photo author credits may not be included due to the small display size of the images and subsequent difficulty of reading the provided text. All other images appear courtesy of Google (https://images.google.com).

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