French Speedwell
Veronica acinifolia
Veronica acinifolia, the French speedwell, is an annual flower in the family Plantaginaceae present within a band from Portugal to Britain on the west stretching eastwards far into Asia, with some gaps.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veronica_acinifolia
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Family
Plantaginaceae
Genus
Veronica
French Speedwell belongs to the family Plantaginaceae, order Lamiales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Veronica acinifolia, the French speedwell, is an annual flower in the family Plantaginaceae present within a band from Portugal to Britain on the west stretching eastwards far into Asia, with some gaps.
French Speedwell (Veronica acinifolia) is critically endangered primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized sandy, disturbed ground habitats. The species faces severe pressure from agricultural intensification, urban development, and changes in land management practices that have eliminated or altered the ephemeral, nutrient-poor soils it requires for survival.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Its native range is Albania, Altay, Bulgaria, Corsica, Czechoslovakia, East Aegean Islands, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Crete, Crimea, Lebanon-Syria, Mongolia, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Xinjiang, Yugoslavia, extinct in Belgium, and introduced into the British Isles. in Turkey from 0 to .
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
French Speedwell (Veronica acinifolia) is critically endangered primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized sandy, disturbed ground habitats. The species faces severe pressure from agricultural intensification, urban development, and changes in land management practices that have eliminated or altered the ephemeral, nutrient-poor soils it requires for survival.
Habitat loss from agricultural intensification
Urban development and infrastructure expansion
Changes in land management reducing habitat disturbance
Climate change altering suitable habitat conditions
Competition from invasive plant species
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). French Speedwell (Veronica acinifolia). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/french-speedwell