Taxonomic history
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Veronica officinalis in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 10.
today: The current name for this species is Veronica longifolia L.
original Latin diagnosis
Veronica spicis lateralibus pedunculatis, foliis oppositis, caule procumbente.
English translation
Veronica with spikes lateral [and] pedunculate; with leaves opposite; [and] with stem procumbent.
| Veronica | Veronica |
| with spikes | spicis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun spica, -ae |
| lateral; | lateralibus - ablative plural feminine of group B adjective lateralis, -is, -e; modifies spicis |
| [and] | added for smooher reading |
| pedunculate | pedunculatis - ablative plural feminine of group A adjective pedunculatus, -a, -um; 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 |
| [and] | added for smooher reading |
| with the stem | caule - ablative plural of third declension masculine noun caulis, caulis |
| procumbent | procumbente - ablative singular masculine of present active participle of third conjugation verb procumbo, procumbere, procumbui, procumbitum; modifies caule |