Veronica agrestis |
Synthyris rubra(synonym of Veronica rubra) |
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field speedwell, green field speedwell, green procumbent speedwell, véronique agreste |
besseya, red coraldrops, red kittentails |
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Habit | Annuals. | |
Stems | creeping to decumbent, 5–25 cm, hairy. |
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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. |
strictly annual, disintegrating in 1st year; blade oblong-ovate to ovate, 25+ mm wide, leathery, base cuneate, truncate, or rounded to lobate, sometimes cordate, margins crenate, teeth apices acute to rounded, surfaces sparsely hairy; basal veins extending into distal 1/2 of blade, lateral veins 3–6 on each side of midvein. |
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. |
erect, to 45 cm in fruit; sterile bracts 10–30, ovate-spatulate, largest 1+ cm; flowers 100+, densely aggregated (separating in fruit). |
Pedicels | deflexed, (5–)6–10(–15) mm, ± shorter than subtending bracts, densely eglandular- and, sometimes, glandular-hairy distally. |
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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. |
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Stamens | inserted on receptacle. |
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Ovaries | ovules 17–40. |
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Capsules | ± compressed in cross section, ± subglobular, 3.5–4.5(–4.7) × 4.5–6(–6.3) mm, apex emarginate, sparsely glandular-hairy. |
densely hairy. |
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). |
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Sepals | 4, basal connation between abaxial and adaxial lobes on each side of flower. |
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Petals | 1–4, apex entire or erose; corolla reddish, bluish purple, green, or white, bilabiate or unilabiate, rudimentary, much shorter than calyx, glabrous, lateral and abaxial petals of abaxial lip connate 1/2+ their lengths, abaxial and adaxial petal lips basally adnate to stamens, tube absent. |
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2n | = 28 (Europe). |
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Veronica agrestis |
Synthyris rubra |
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Phenology | Flowering May–Oct. | Flowering Mar–Jun; fruiting Apr–Jul. |
Habitat | Light, noncalcareous, moist soils, gravelly soils. | Grasslands, open coniferous forests. |
Elevation | (0–)300–800 m. ((0–)1000–2600 ft.) | 200–1700 m. (700–5600 ft.) |
Distribution |
DC; FL; IL; LA; MA; NY; PA; TX; VT; NF; NS; QC; Europe [Introduced in North America]
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ID; MT; OR; WA
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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.) |
Natural hybrids of Synthyris missurica and S. rubra occur near Kamiah, Idaho (A. R. Kruckeberg and F. L. Hedglin 1963). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 17, p. 320. | FNA vol. 17, p. 304. |
Parent taxa | Plantaginaceae > Veronica | Plantaginaceae > Synthyris |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Gymnandra rubra, Besseya rubra, Veronica rubra | |
Name authority | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 13. (1753) | (Douglas ex Hooker) Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 10: 455. (1846) |
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