There are over 500 species of Veronica (Speedwells) in the Veronicaceae family (formerly in Plantaginaceae) and most are found in the northern hemisphere. In Britain we have quite a few species all with common names like Ivy-leaved Speedwell (Veronica hederifolia) or Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys) but the vast majority have no common English names and Veronica fruticulosa is one of them. It has been noted that there are similarities between this and Veronica fruticans (Rock Speedwell) and so some have suggested that the rarer blue-flowered Veronica fruticulosa should be a sub-species. The flowers are most often described as pink we were lucky to see both pink and blue on our hike to the Morteratsch glacier in Switzerland.

The leaves have been described as ovate in some texts but more often they are linear or oblanceolate as in these plants. Veronica fruticulosa is found in the Pyrenees, Jura, Alps Apennine mountains.

Veronica fruticulosa No English name En route to Morteratsch glacier, Switzerland 9th July 2010 Previous   Next	Veronica fruticulosa No English name En route to Morteratsch glacier, Switzerland 9th July 2010 Previous   Next
Veronica fruticulosa: usual pink flowers No English name	Veronica fruticulosa: less common deep blue flowers No English name

En route to Morteratsch glacier, Switzerland 9th July 2010

Added on June 5th 2016