This annual species with a broadly Mediterranean distribution is present in all regions of Italy except Piedmont, Valle d'Aosta, Liguria and Marche (not found since a long time in Umbria). It grows on damp sites, on muddy, periodically flooded soils that are rich in nitrogenous substances, below the montane belt. It is a characteristic species of Mediterranean temporary ponds, but it is very rare in Sardinia. The genus name is of uncertain etymology: some sources claim that it comes from the legend of St. Veronica, the woman who wiped Christ's face with a handkerchief before the crucifixion, alluding to the darker veins in the corolla which tends to fall early, or to the fact that many species flower during the Holy Week, while others think that it refers to St. Veronica from Binasco (1445-1497); the species name refers to the similarity with V. anagallis-aquatica. Flowering time: June to October.

Italian name(s): Veronica anagalloide (Italia), Veronica delle sponde (Italia).