Taxonomic history
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Veronica beccabunga in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 12.
today: The current name for this species is Veronica beccabunga L.
original Latin description
Veronica racemis lateralibus, foliis ovatis planis, caule repente.
English translation
Veronica with racemes lateral; with leaf blades ovate [and] flat; [and] with a stem creeping.
| Veronica | Veronica |
| with racemes | racemis - ablative plural of second declension masculine noun racemus, -i |
| lateral; | lateralibus - ablative plural masculine of group B adjective lateralis, -is, -e; modifies racemis |
| with leaf blades | foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i |
| ovate | ovatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective ovatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| flat; | planis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective planus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| caule | with a stem |
| creeping. | repente - ablative singular masculine of present active participle of third conjugation verb repo, -ere, -si, —; modifies caule |