Veronica scutellata
Marsh speedwell
(c) Gilles San Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Gilles San Martin · licence
Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Veronica scutellata (Marsh speedwell) is a native California herb in the Plantaginaceae family, recognized by very narrow leaves and right-angled fruiting pedicels are key.
Marsh speedwell is a California native perennial found in coastal, northern, and central California regions, including the North Coast, Sierra Nevada, and Monterey Peninsula, in wet meadows and pond habitats at elevations below 2,300 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces delicate white to blue flowers with purple lines, typically 5 to 7 millimeters across. Growing with slender, decumbent to erect stems 10 to 60 centimeters tall, it spreads through a rhizomatous root system. Its lance-linear leaves are sessile, 20 to 40 millimeters long, often with a purple tinge and appearing much longer than wide. The fruit is distinctive, measuring 3 to 4 millimeters wide and deeply notched at the tip.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 9 sympatric species; very narrow leaves and right-angled fruiting pedicels are key
Habitat and range
Habitat: Wet meadows, ponds
Elevation: < 2300 m
California counties: Humboldt, Sonoma, Tulare, El Dorado, Marin, Plumas, Fresno, San Bernardino, Mendocino, Mariposa, Butte, Nevada, Del Norte, Lassen, Siskiyou, Modoc, Tehama, Mono, Shasta, Sierra, Madera, Tuolumne
Outside California: to British Columbia, eastern United States, Europe
Bloom period
Veronica scutellata blooms May-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Melaleuca: Melaleuca has bottlebrush flowers with numerous stamens; Veronica has simple four-petaled flowers with 2 stamens.; vs Nemophila: Nemophila has bowl-shaped flowers with leaves cut into lobes; Veronica has flat flowers and unlobed leaves.; vs Monardella: Monardella has flowers in dense heads with minty aroma; Veronica has scattered four-petaled flowers, no scent.; vs Ludwigia: Ludwigia has bright yellow four-petaled flowers; Veronica has blue, white, or pink flowers in racemes.; vs Lysimachia: Lysimachia has five petals and five sepals; Veronica has four petals and four sepals.
Frequently asked questions
Is Veronica scutellata native to California?
Yes. Veronica scutellata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Veronica scutellata bloom?
Veronica scutellata blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Veronica scutellata grow?
Veronica scutellata occurs in Humboldt, Sonoma, Tulare, El Dorado, Marin, Plumas, Fresno, San Bernardino and other counties, at elevations of < 2300 m.
What plant family does Veronica scutellata belong to?
Veronica scutellata is in the Plantaginaceae family, genus Veronica.
What habitat does Veronica scutellata grow in?
Veronica scutellata grows in Wet meadows, ponds.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.