speedwell
(ˈspiːdwɛl)
[app. f. speed v. 1 + well adv.]
One or other species of Veronica, an extensive genus of small herbaceous plants with leafy stems and small blue (rarely pink or white) flowers; a plant belonging to this genus.
| 1578 Lyte Dodoens 26 Paules Betony, Herbe Fluellyn, or Speedewell. 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. 101 An herbe there is commonly called Betonica Pauli, or Paul's Betony.., and is no more then speed well, or Fluellen. 1671 Phillips, Speedwell,..in Latin Betonica Pauli, and Veronica Mas, and Femina. 1760 J. Lee Introd. Bot. App. 327 Speedwell, Veronica. 1833 E. Elliott Spirits & Men 22 in Spl. Village, etc. 218 While groups of speedwell, with their bright blue eyes,..cluster in the sun. 1850 Tennyson In Mem. lxxxiii, Bring orchis, bring the foxglove spire, The little speedwell's darling blue. 1885 R. Buchanan Annan Water v, The banks were sprinkled thick with speedwells and primroses. |
| attrib. c 1710 Petiver Cat. Ray's Eng. Herbal Tab. xlviii, Speedwell Cress. Hill sides. 1862 C. M. Yonge C'tess Kate v, The young lady..delicately blue and white, like a speedwell flower. |
b. With distinguishing terms.
The number of specific designations is very large: see Chambers' Cycl. Suppl. (1753) s.v. Veronica, Withering Brit. Plants (1796) II. 12–18, Penny Cycl. (1843) XXVI. 271, Irvine Handbk. Brit. Plants (1858) 439–444.
| 1611 Cotgr., Veronique masle, the male Speed-well. 1731 Miller Gard. Dict. s.v. Veronica, Common Male Speedwell or Fluellin. Ibid., Narrow-leav'd spik'd Speed⁓well [etc.]. 1777 Jacob Cat. Plants 121 V[eronica] serpyllifolia, little, or smooth Speedwell, or Paul's Betony. 1796 Withering Brit. Plants (ed. 3) II. 17 Veronica Chamaedrys... Wild Germander. Germander Speedwell. 1840 Hodgson Hist. Northumb. iii. ii. 360/1 Veronica scutellata, Narrow-leafed Marsh Speedwell. 1846–50 A. Wood Class-bk. Bot. 406 V. arvensis. Field Veronica. Corn Speedwell... V. agrestis. Neckweed. Field Speedwell. 1847 Darlington Amer. Weeds, etc. (1860) 227 V. peregrina,..Foreign Veronica. Purslane Speedwell. 1855 Miss Pratt Flower. Pl. IV. 89 Spiked Speedwell... Gardeners call it Cat's-tail Speedwell. 1882 Garden 15 Apr. 263/3 The New Zealand Speedwell, when well grown, is one of the most beautiful of green⁓house plants. 1898 Morris Austral Eng. 428 Native Speed⁓well,..a Tasmanian species, Veronica formosa. |