Βερόνικα η περσική
Etymology of Veronica persica: The genus's name "Veronica" derives from Saint Veronica, the woman who gave Jesus a cloth to wipe his face while carrying the cross on the way to Calvary, and so named because the markings on some species supposedly resemble those on her sacred handkerchief. The epithet "persica" refers to its alleged origin: it is assumed native to the mountains of the Caucasus and northern Iran (formerly Persia), where it may have originated by the hybridisation of Veronica ceratocarpa and Veronica polita.
There are nine Veronica species/kinds growing on their own in the Cypriot habitat.
Veronica persica is a naturalized invasive Veronica species in Cyprus which grows at a high altitude, between 600-1375 metres, and at the moment it has been recorded only in the Troodos mountains range. The species in Cyprus has a long flowering period, between March and September.
How to identify Veronica persica:
Veronica persica is similar to Veronica polita. Their differences are the following:
Veronica persica's lobes of the capsule are strongly divergent; its pedicels are up to 3 cm long. Veronica polita's lobes of the capsule are not markedly divergent; its pedicels are about 1-1.2 cm long.
