Veronica agrestis |
Veronica americana |
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field speedwell, green field speedwell, green procumbent speedwell, véronique agreste |
American brooklime, American speedwell, véronique d'amérique |
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Habit | Annuals. | Perennials. |
Stems | creeping to decumbent, 5–25 cm, hairy. |
decumbent or ascending, 5–50 cm, glabrous. |
Leaves | blade elliptic-ovate to oblong, (6–)8–16(–19) × (3–)4–10(–13) mm, base truncate, margins serrate, teeth 4–6(–8) per side, apex obtuse to acute, abaxial surface ± more densely hairy than adaxial. |
petiole 2–6(–10) mm; blade ovate to lanceolate, widest proximal to middle, (5–)30–50(–100) × (3–)7–20(–30) mm, 2–4 times as long as wide, base truncate, rounded or almost cordate, abruptly turning into petioles, margins entire or serrate, apex obtuse-orbicular or acute, surfaces glabrous. |
Racemes | 1–5, terminal, 50–250 mm, 5–15-flowered, axis eglandular-hairy, sometimes glandular-hairy; bracts elliptic-ovate to oblong, (6–)9–16(–19) mm. |
1–8, axillary, 30–100 mm, (3–)10–30-flowered, axis glabrous; bracts lanceolate, 3–6 mm. |
Pedicels | deflexed, (5–)6–10(–15) mm, ± shorter than subtending bracts, densely eglandular- and, sometimes, glandular-hairy distally. |
patent, 3–10(–12) mm, equal to ± longer than subtending bract, glabrous. |
Flowers | calyx lobes linear-lanceolate, (5–)6–7 mm, 2.2–2.6 mm wide, apex rounded, sparsely eglandular- or glandular-hairy; corolla white or pale pinkish or pale blue, 4–5(–6) mm diam.; stamens 0.5–1 mm; style (0.6–)0.9–1.1(–1.2) mm. |
calyx lobes 2–5(–6) mm, apex acute, glabrous; corolla pink or sky blue, 4–10 mm diam.; stamens 2–4 mm; style (1.7–)2.5–3.5(–4) mm. |
Capsules | ± compressed in cross section, ± subglobular, 3.5–4.5(–4.7) × 4.5–6(–6.3) mm, apex emarginate, sparsely glandular-hairy. |
slightly compressed in cross section, globular, 2–4 × 3–5 mm, apex not or ± emarginate, glabrous. |
Seeds | 6–14, yellow to ochre, globular, cymbiform, 1.3–2.1 × 1–1.6 mm, 0.6–1.1 mm thick, strongly rugose (transversely ribbed). |
20–30, brownish, ellipsoid to ovoid, indistinct-compressed or planoconvex, 0.5–0.7 × 0.3–0.6 mm, thickness varies due to compression in capsule, indistinctly wrinkled or ± rugose. |
2n | = 28 (Europe). |
= 36. |
Veronica agrestis |
Veronica americana |
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Phenology | Flowering May–Oct. | Flowering May–Aug. |
Habitat | Light, noncalcareous, moist soils, gravelly soils. | Slowly flowing waters, banks, sand bars, gravel flood plains, moist soils, springs, ditches, swamps, marshes. |
Elevation | (0–)300–800 m. ((0–)1000–2600 ft.) | 0–3600 m. (0–11800 ft.) |
Distribution |
DC; FL; IL; LA; MA; NY; PA; TX; VT; NF; NS; QC; Europe [Introduced in North America]
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AK; AR; AZ; CA; CO; CT; DE; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NF; NS; NT; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; Mexico; Asia (Japan, Russia)
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Discussion | Veronica agrestis is similar to the more frequent V. persica and probably frequently overlooked and to be expected elsewhere. However, it should be noted that it is less common than V. persica or V. polita and always in more humid habitats. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Although difficult to separate, Veronica beccabunga and V. americana are maintained as species here. Evidence suggesting separate species status is different ploidy level (the tetraploid level is rare in V. beccabunga) and the occurrence of V. americana in more natural habitats. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 17, p. 320. | FNA vol. 17, p. 313. |
Parent taxa | Plantaginaceae > Veronica | Plantaginaceae > Veronica |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | V. beccabunga var. americana | |
Name authority | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 13. (1753) | Schweinitz ex Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 10: 468. (1846) |
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