About Veronica americana (Raf.) Schwein. ex Benth.
Veronica americana (Raf.) Schwein. ex Benth. is commonly known as American brooklime or American speedwell. It is a flowering plant native to temperate and arctic regions of Asia and North America, where it grows in streams and bottomlands. This species is a glabrous herbaceous perennial, with stems growing 10–100 cm (4–40 inches) long. Its flowers are soft violet, arranged in terminal or axillary racemes or spikes. Its leaves are 1.5–8 cm (0.6–3.1 inches) long, 3 to 20 times as long as wide, short-petiolate, glabrous, and range from serrate to almost entire. This plant is often confused with Scutellaria (skullcap) and other members of the mint family. A key distinguishing feature is that mint family members have square stems, while all Veronica species have rounded stems. American speedwell is used as both food and a medicinal plant. It is rich in nutrients, and is reported to have a flavor similar to watercress. If collected from an uncontaminated water source, the entire plant excluding the roots can be eaten raw.
