Veronica agrestis ( Green Field Speedwell) and Veronica polita ( Grey Field Speedwell).
Although the main distinguishing feature between these two similar species is the type of hair on the seed capsule, in practice this is far less clear cut that the current literature implies.
Several identification articles have been published recently covering Speedwells from the recent Beginner's Corner paper by Mike Crewe in BSBI News Winter 2025 158, page 21, and
'A pictorial guide to some of the more common Speedwells of the British Isles' by Moira O'Donnell in the Wild Flower Magazine Autumn 2021.
These articles and many identification guides like the revised version of The Wild Flower Key by Francis Rose, Harrap's Wild Flowers, and the new British & Irish Wildflowers and Plants, A pocket Guide, all state that Veronica agrestis has capsules with long glandular hairs ONLY.
Maybe this is true in some places but it is certainly not correct in East Anglia. This was pointed out back in 2010 by Bob Leaney, BSBI News, April 2010, No 114.
Common problems with identification in the field – experience
with the Norfolk Flora Group
13. Veronica agrestis (Green Field- speedwell)/V. polita (Grey Field-speedwell) The only clear-cut vegetative field character here, according to Poland & Clement, would seem to be the longer petioles in A. polita (<4 mm, as opposed to <2 mm). I have looked at about twenty specimens in the field and NWH, and found that leaf shape and colour were often intermediate and unhelpful. Attempts to separate these two in the field usually resolve around the capsule hairs, but these need a ·20 lens and good light conditions to interpret, and usually there is a difference of opinion! When one gets a few capsules under the microscope at home, moreover, one often comes to a different conclusion! In my opinion, a much better field character is the shape of the sepals, where there is a very clear cut and invariable difference. The sepals of V. polita are always broadly ovate, with the distal edges straight and converging onto a sub-acute or acute tip. Those of V. agrestis, on the other hand, are narrowly elliptic-lanceo- late, with +/- parallel sides and the distal curving very gradually to a rounded tip (see illustration). In fresh material these sepal characters correlate absolutely with the capsule hairs, and they also correlate well with leaf colour and shape when these characters are clear cut one way or the other.
Recently Mike Wilcox has a useful article in BSBI News issue 153 April 2023 'Distinguishing Veronica agrestis from Veronica polita', which correctly states that Veronica agrestis can have mostly long glandular hairs, though a few eglandular hairs can occur. Mike Wilcox also introduces a new feature which is that the stigma is squeezed between the two capsule lobes whereas Veronica polita has a longer stigma which is not held so tightly due to a slight difference in capsule shape.
My conclusion is that recent literature, except Bob Leaney and Mike Wilcox, has often simplified the hair characteristics, as if you go back to the excellent Clapham, Putin and Warburg 'Flora of the British Isles' 1962 it states V. agrestis capsule with long glandular hairs, often with rather shorter glandless ones'.
I have been taking photos of speedwells in an attempt to produce a photo guide and have found that all features that differentiate these two species are subject to qualifications. An example being the sepal shape that Bob Leaney was keen on. This can only be relied on when the capsule is fully developed as the broad sepals of V. polita get wider during the development of the capsule. Looking at the sepals at the flowering stage does not help as they may be as narrow as those in V. agrestis.
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| V. polita flower showing narrow sepals. 25th Feb 26 |
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| V. polita at capsule stage showing both types of hair and ovate sepal. |
The above photo shows that the fully developed sepal shape is wider and ovate, in that it has the widest point below the middle and has an acute tip. However there is variation as shown by the left sepal which is not as wide. The stigma still looks quite fresh so this sepal may develop further.
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| V. agrestis sepals (despite having some slight lobing) are oblong/linear with parallel sides and rounded tip. Overall a more narrow shape. |
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| V. agrestis showing narrow oblong/linear sepals shape. It appears to have a unusually short stigma which looks fresh and not decaying yet. 17Jul 2022 |
Conclusion. The sepal shape is a good feature but only when the capsule is well developed.
How to identify between these two species and Common Field Speedwell ( V. persica).
1) Flowers. In many cases the first thing that stands out when looking at both V. agrestis and V. polita is that the flowers are much smaller than a typical V. persica Common Field Speedwell. Flower colour can be variable in speedwells and paler to white examples of many species can occur.
Flower colour is also a good guide as V. agrestis has pale flowers often very pale almost white, whereas V. polita often has really dark blue flowers, but can have paler flowers which makes some look intermediate. Occasionally speedwells have white flowers, so flower colour is a good guide but not conclusive. I have never seen a V. agrestis with dark blue flowers.
2) Capsule. Second step is to look at the capsule if you can find one. It is important to find a fully developed capsule as early or sterile ones do not show the shape differences which are useful.
The capsules nearest the flower will be the most undeveloped so it is good to move down the stem and check several capsules. The most developed will have the stigma decayed back so that comparing stigma length at that stage has difficulties but works well for sepal shape.
Capsule shape can vary as seen in V. persica. The capsule lobes are not spreading in both V. agrestis and V. polita, whereas the lobes of V. persica has spreading lobes. The next photos show that the spread in V. persica does vary. A feature rarely photographed. The shape is quite distinct however except in sterile or undeveloped capsules which can cause confusion.
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| V. persica capsule with less than usual lobe spread. 4th Jun 2023 |
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| V. persica capsule with limited lobe spread and starts to approach the capsule shape of V. polita, 16Apr25 |
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| V. persica with typical lobe spread. 22April 25 |
Note the very long thin stigma which is often bent over and is protruding well beyond the top glandular hairs. The capsule hairs are a mixture of long glandular hairs and short slightly curved eglandular hairs. Density of both type of hairs can vary considerably. Sepal shape is quite variable at capsule stage.
Capsule shape and hairs, V. agrestis.
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| V. agrestis 10Jun2025 |
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| V. agrestis 11Jun2025 Note narrow sepals with rounded tips and just a few short eglandular hairs on capsule. |
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| V. agrestis Capsule with more short eglandular hairs amongst the longer glandular hairs. Cottenham, Cambs. 11Jun2025 |
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| V. agrestis, showing how tight the stigma is held between the two lobes. 16Jun2025 |
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| V. agrestis. an example of variation as the stigma is not held tightly between lobes. 9Feb26 |
This photo shows that although the overall shape of two parallel lobes is good, the tightness of the held stigma can vary, so although this is a useful feature and can be a good guide but should be considered with other features, before making a determination. I suppose we should not be surprised having seen the variation in the V. persica in photos above. In my experience the feature of a tightly held stigma works most of the time but occasionally fails, but that's botany. The identification of this particular plant was based on the narrow sepal shape with parallel sides and rounded tip, the capsule hairs being mainly long glandular with few eglandular and the stigma although fairly fresh ( white colour with brown tip) being quite short, protruding out less than the hairs.
Capsule shape and hairs, V. polita.
Typically a dense fuzz of short eglandular hairs outnumbers the long glandular hairs in V. polita. but beware variation as mentioned above by Bob Leaney.
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| V. polita 13May2025 with fresh stigma protruding well beyond hairs. |
Capsule hairs are a mixture of longer glandular hairs and quite dense short eglandular hairs. Broad ovate shape to sepals and stigma not held tightly between lobes.
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| V. polita 13May2025 |
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| V. polita 10Jun2025 |
The stigma has started to decay and turn brown but still remains long and protruding well beyond the hairs. Lots of short eglandular hairs.
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| V. polita, only three petals, just another example of variation.10Jul2023 |
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| V. polita, typical dark flowered example. 11Apr2023 |
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| V. agrestis. 10Aug2023 |
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| V. agrestis 17Jul2022 |
3) Other features.
Many books mention the difference in leaf colour, hence the English names Green and Grey however in practice there seems to be overlap and leaf colour seem more dependent on growing conditions. Occasionally V. polita seems to have thicker more fleshy leaves which are dull but again this is not consistent. There is some truth that the length vs width of V. agrestis leaves suggests that the longer leaves of V. agrestis vs 'the length similar to the width' for V. polita is a useful feature however the shape of leaves is quite variable.
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| V. polita, leaf length similar to width. |
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| V. agrestis Leaf shape longer than wide. |
Stigma length. The problem with stigma length is that the stigma will decay back, going brown and becoming shorter sometimes quickly . Also there seems to be quite a variation in the length. When fresh, the length of the stigma in V. agrestis may just reach beyond the top of the long glandular hairs but is often much shorter. In V. polita the stigma often reaches well beyond the top of the longest hairs.
Conclusion.
The above is based on plants seen in Cambridgeshire and Kent only. Although many plants are not too difficult to separate, care should be taken to check all relevant features to make a determination.
Peter G. Leonard
March 2026
Cottenham
