Breckland Speedwell
CR

Breckland Speedwell

Veronica praecox

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veronica_praecox

Overview

Veronica praecox, the breckland speedwell, is a small flower in the family Plantaginaceae native to Europe, North-West Africa and regions adjoining the Black Sea.

Breckland Speedwell faces severe decline primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized sandy grassland and heathland environments. Agricultural intensification, urban development, and changes in land management practices have dramatically reduced suitable habitat. The species is also threatened by invasive species competition and altered grazing regimes that disrupt the open, disturbed ground conditions it requires.

Threat summary

Habitat

Its native range is Albania, Algeria, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Crete, Crimea, Morocco, Netherlands, North Caucasus, Poland, Romania, Sicily, South European Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, Yugoslavia, and introduced into the British Isles. in Turkey, rocky steppe, pastures and fields, .

TERRESTRIAL· majorTERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Plantaginaceae

CR

Cheilophyllum microphyllum

Unknown
CR

Bacopa longipes

Unknown
CR

Encopella tenuifolia

Unknown
CR

Bacopa stemodioides

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Breckland Speedwell classified as Critically Endangered?
Breckland Speedwell is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Breckland Speedwell faces severe decline primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized sandy grassland and heathland environments. Agricultural intensification, urban development, and changes in land management practices have dramatically reduced suitable habitat. The species is also threatened by invasive species competition and altered grazing regimes that disrupt the open, disturbed ground conditions it requires.
Where does Breckland Speedwell live?
Breckland Speedwell occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Breckland Speedwell?
The main threats to Breckland Speedwell are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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