Veronica nivea

{{Short description|Species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae}}

{{Speciesbox

|image = Veronica nivea.jpg

|image_caption = Veronica nivea
Lake Mountain, Victoria

|genus = Veronica

|species = nivea

|authority = Lindl.{{GRIN | access-date=2010-01-04}}

|synonyms =

• Derwentia nivea (Lindl.) B.G.Briggs & Ehrend.
• Parahebe nivea (Lindl.) Heads

}}

Veronica nivea, the milfoil speedwell or snow speedwell, is a flowering plant species of the family Plantaginaceae, endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is sometimes included in the genus Parahebe or Derwentia.{{cite web |url=http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni?TAXON_NAME=Veronica+nivea|title=Veronica nivea |access-date=2010-01-04 |work= Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database|publisher = Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra}}

It is a subshrub which grows to between 15 and 50 cm high. The pinnately divided leaves are 1.5 to 3 cm long. The flowers are white, pale lilac or bright blue and appear in racemes of 20 to 40 in summer.{{cite web |url=http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Veronica~nivea|title=Veronica nivea |access-date=27 May 2012 |work= PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia}}

The species occurs in alpine and subalpine grassland, heathland and woodland in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. In New South Wales it is recorded in Kosciuszko National Park while in Victoria it is known from the Baw Baw plateau as well as areas including Mount Buffalo, Lake Mountain and Falls Creek.{{cite web|title=Derwentia nivea|work=Grimwade Plant Collection|publisher=The University of Melbourne|url=http://www.botany.unimelb.edu.au/buffalo/Derwentia_nivea.htm|access-date=2010-01-04}} It is often found on disturbed sites.{{cite book|author1=Corrick, M.G. |author2=Fuhrer, B.A. |name-list-style=amp | title=Wildflowers of Victoria and adjoining areas| publisher=Bloomings Books|location= Australia | year=2001 | isbn=1876473142}}

The Latin specific epithet nivea means "white as snow" .{{cite book | last=Harrison |first=Lorraine | title=RHS Latin for Gardeners | year=2012 |publisher=Mitchell Beazley | location=United Kingdom | isbn=978-1845337315 }}