Definition

1. Noun:
   • A North American annual plant with small white flowers: "Veronica peregrina" is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family (Plantaginaceae). It is widely naturalized as a weed in South America and Europe.

Usage Notes

• This term is a specific botanical name for a plant species. It is used in scientific, horticultural, and ecological contexts. The common name is "purslane speedwell" or "neckweed."

Examples

• Noun:
  • The field was dotted with Veronica peregrina. (The field was dotted with purslane speedwell.)
  • Botanists are studying the spread of Veronica peregrina in non-native regions. (Botanists are studying the spread of neckweed in non-native regions.)

Advanced Usage

• In formal botanical writing, the genus name () is italicized, and the specific epithet () is written in lowercase and also italicized.
  • The specimen was correctly identified as Veronica peregrina L. (The specimen was correctly identified as Veronica peregrina L.)

Variants and Related Words

• Purslane speedwell: A common name for .
• Neckweed: Another common name for this species.
• Veronica: The genus to which this plant belongs, comprising many species commonly called speedwells.

Synonyms

• Purslane speedwell
• Neckweed

Related Terms (Not Phrasal Verbs or Idioms)

• Naturalized species: A non-native species that has established itself in a new region.
  • Veronica peregrina is considered a naturalized species in Europe.
• Annual plant: A plant that completes its life cycle in one year.
  • As an annual, Veronica peregrina germinates, flowers, sets seed, and dies within a single season.

Noun

1. North American annual with small white flowers widely naturalized as a weed in South America and Europe