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field speedwell, green field speedwell, green procumbent speedwell, véronique agreste

thyme-leaf speedwell

Habit Annuals. Perennials.
Stems

creeping to decumbent, 5–25 cm, hairy.

creeping to ascending, 5–40 cm, scattered eglandular hairs only, often also with glandular hairs, sometimes glabrate.

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.

blade oblong-lanceolate to ovate, 8–25 × 5–13 mm, 1.5–2.5 times as long as wide, base cuneate, margins subentire or serrulate-crenate, apex rounded to short-acuminate, surfaces glabrate.

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, terminal, 50–100 mm, 10–30(–60)-flowered, axis eglandular- and glandular-hairy;

bracts oblong, 4–7 mm.

Pedicels

deflexed, (5–)6–10(–15) mm, ± shorter than subtending bracts, densely eglandular- and, sometimes, glandular-hairy distally.

erect, 2–5 mm, 4–6 mm in fruit, shorter than subtending bract in flower, eglandular- and, sometimes, glandular-hairy.

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 2–3 mm, apex acute, ciliate;

corolla white, blue, or pink, with purple or dark blue veins (except on abaxial lobe), rotate, 5–8 mm diam.;

stamens 2.5–3 mm;

style 2–4 mm.

Capsules

± compressed in cross section, ± subglobular, 3.5–4.5(–4.7) × 4.5–6(–6.3) mm, apex emarginate, sparsely glandular-hairy.

compressed in cross section, obcordiform, 2.5–3.5 × 4–5.5 mm, wider than long, apex acutely emarginate, glandular-ciliate, otherwise glabrate.

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).

50–72, brown, ellipsoid, flat, 0.6–1.1 × 0.4–1 mm, 0.2 mm thick, smooth.

2n

= 28 (Europe).

= 14.

Veronica agrestis

Veronica serpyllifolia

Phenology Flowering May–Oct. Flowering Apr–Aug.
Habitat Light, noncalcareous, moist soils, gravelly soils. River banks, wet places, moist meadows, shady forests.
Elevation (0–)300–800 m. ((0–)1000–2600 ft.) 0–3300 m. (0–10800 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
DC; FL; IL; LA; MA; NY; PA; TX; VT; NF; NS; QC; Europe [Introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; AL; AR; AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; DE; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; NC; ND; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; TN; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; NB; NL; NS; ON; PE; QC; SK; South America; Mexico (Baja California); Eurasia; Australia
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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.)

Alpine plants of Veronica serpyllifolia with bright blue, larger corollas, and smaller, hairier raceme axes have been treated at various ranks under the epithet humifusa. The characters are labile and show intergradations with the typical plants. Veronica serpyllifolia is widespread; it is not clear where it is native.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 320. FNA vol. 17, p. 312.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Veronica Plantaginaceae > Veronica
Sibling taxa
V. alpina, V. americana, V. anagallis-aquatica, V. argute-serrata, V. arvensis, V. beccabunga, V. biloba, V. catenata, V. chamaedrys, V. copelandii, V. cusickii, V. cymbalaria, V. dillenii, V. filiformis, V. fruticans, V. grandiflora, V. hederifolia, V. longifolia, V. officinalis, V. peregrina, V. persica, V. polita, V. scutellata, V. serpyllifolia, V. spicata, V. stelleri, V. sublobata, V. teucrium, V. triloba, V. triphyllos, V. undulata, V. verna, V. wormskjoldii
V. agrestis, V. alpina, V. americana, V. anagallis-aquatica, V. argute-serrata, V. arvensis, V. beccabunga, V. biloba, V. catenata, V. chamaedrys, V. copelandii, V. cusickii, V. cymbalaria, V. dillenii, V. filiformis, V. fruticans, V. grandiflora, V. hederifolia, V. longifolia, V. officinalis, V. peregrina, V. persica, V. polita, V. scutellata, V. spicata, V. stelleri, V. sublobata, V. teucrium, V. triloba, V. triphyllos, V. undulata, V. verna, V. wormskjoldii
Synonyms V. humifusa, V. serpyllifolia var. decipiens, V. serpyllifolia subsp. humifusa, V. serpyllifolia var. humifusa, V. tenella
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 13. (1753) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 12. (1753)
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