Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Veronica incana in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 10.
today: The current name for this species is Veronica incana L.
original Latin description
Veronica spicis terminalibus, foliis oppositis crenatis obtusis, caule erecto tomentoso.
English translation
Veronica with spikes terminal; with leaves opposite, [the blade] crenate, [and] obtuse; with a stem erect [and] tomentose.
| Veronica | Veronica |
| with spikes | spicis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun spica, -ae |
| terminal; | terminalibus - ablative plural feminine of group B adjective terminalis, -is, -e; modifies spicis |
| with leaves | foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i |
| opposite, | oppositis - ablative plural neuter of perfect passive participle of third conjugation verb oppono, opponere, opposui, oppositum; modifies foliis |
| [the blade] crenate, | crenatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective crenatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| obtuse; | obtusis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective obtusus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| with a stem | caule - ablative plural of third declension masculine noun caulis, -is |
| erect | erecto - ablative singular masculine of perfect passive participle of third conugation verb erigo, erigere, erexi, erectum; modifies caule |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| tomentose. | tomentoso - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective tomentosus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |