Veronica anagallis-aquatica |
Veronica fruticans |
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blue speedwell, blue water speedwell, brook pimpernel, véronique mouron-d'eau, water pimpernel, water speedwell |
rock speedwell, woodystem speedwell |
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Habit | Annuals or perennials. | Perennials. |
Stems | erect or prostrate basally, (20–)30–100(–170) cm, usually thick-fleshy, glabrous. |
ascending to erect, densely branched from woody base, (5–)10–15(–30) cm, eglandular-hairy, sometimes glandular-hairy. |
Leaves | petiole 0–2(–8) mm (basal lateral branches usually distinctly petiolate to 8 mm) proximally, 0 mm distally; blade (of proximal leaves) ovate, elliptic, or oblong, (15–)30–80(–145) × (7–)10–30(–45) mm, 1.5–3 times as long as wide, base obtuse proximally to cordate-amplexicaul in middle and ± cuneate distally, margins ± serrulate or denticulate, apex acute, surfaces glabrous, rarely glandular-hairy. |
blade obovate to ovate or spatulate, sometimes suborbiculate proximally, (7–)8–20(–25) × (2–)3–6(–7) mm, mostly shorter to equal to internodes, base cuneate, margins entire or ± crenate or serrate, apex acute, surfaces glabrous or glabrate. |
Racemes | 6–25, axillary, 50–100(–150) mm, 5–10 mm diam., (20–)30–40(–60)-flowered, axis glabrous, rarely glandular-hairy; bracts linear to lanceolate, 2–5 mm, apex acute. |
1–10(–20), terminal, rarely with 1–4 axillary, 20–40 mm, (1–)4–10(–18)-flowered, axis glabrate to sparsely eglandular-hairy; bracts linear or linear-lanceolate or long-ovate, (1–)3.5–9(–15) mm. |
Pedicels | suberect or arcuate-erect to subpatent, curved upwards in fruit, 3–7(–10) mm, longer than subtending bracts, glabrous or hairy. |
erect, (2–)5–7(–15) mm, equal to ± longer than subtending bracts, eglandular-hairy. |
Flowers | calyx lobes 2–3 mm, apex acute, glabrous, rarely hairy; corolla lavender to pale blue, rarely pale lilac, (4–)6–8 mm diam.; stamens 3–3.5 mm; style 1.5–2.5 mm. |
calyx 4(or 5)-lobed, lobes (2.5–)4.5–6(–8) mm, apex obtuse, eglandular-hairy, sometimes also glandular-hairy; corolla intense blue, sometimes with reddish or white center, rarely white, rotate, (6–)10–14(–15) mm diam.; stamens 5–7 mm; style (3–)5–7(–8.5) mm. |
Capsules | slightly compressed in cross section, globular, (2.5–)3–3.5(–4) × 2.5–3.2(–4) mm, apex rounded or ± emarginate, glabrous or sparsely short glandular-hairy. |
± compressed in cross section, ovoid, (5–)6–8(–9) × (3–)4–4.5(–5.5) mm, longer than wide, apex attenuate to apiculate and acute, rarely rounded, not emarginate, eglandular-hairy, sometimes mixed with larger glandular hairs. |
Seeds | 40–77, yellow-brown, ellipsoid to subglobular, planoconvex, (0.3–)0.5–0.7 × 0.3–0.5 mm, 0.2–0.3 mm thick, smooth. |
35–62, orange, ellipsoid, flat, 0.9–1.5 × (0.4–)0.9–1.2 mm, 0.2–0.3 mm thick, smooth. |
2n | = 36. |
= 16. |
Veronica anagallis-aquatica |
Veronica fruticans |
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Phenology | Flowering Mar–Sep(–Nov). | Flowering (May–)Jun–Aug. |
Habitat | Stream margins, ditches, banks, springs, swamps, wet meadows. | Fissures, rocky places, scree. |
Elevation | 0–4000 m. (0–13100 ft.) | 0–1000 m. (0–3300 ft.) |
Distribution |
AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; ME; MI; MO; MT; NC; ND; NE; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SD; TN; TX; UT; VA; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; ON; Eurasia; Africa; Atlantic Islands [Introduced in North America; likely introduced also in Mexico, Central America, South America]
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Greenland |
Discussion | Veronica anagallis-aquatica is widespread. It is not clear whether it is native to the flora area; it is certainly introduced in some states and commonly dispersed by human activity. The species varies with water availability. It is frequently confused with V. catenata. Ecological differences (see discussion under 15. V. catenata) may suggest that V. anagallis-aquatica does not occur in most parts of Canada and Alaska from which the species is reported but is present in some states excluded from the distribution area due to the lack of herbarium specimens seen (for example, Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Vermont). Hybrids are frequent in Europe (V. ×lackschewitzkii J. Keller) and have been reported for California and Nebraska (L. R. Heckard and P. Rubtzoff 1977). The sterile hybrids never form capsules and bear relatively long inflorescences. Another closely related species, V. anagalloides Gussone (= V. salina Schur), is not present in North America. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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Source | FNA vol. 17, p. 313. | FNA vol. 17, p. 318. |
Parent taxa | Plantaginaceae > Veronica | Plantaginaceae > Veronica |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | V. anagallis-aquatica var. terrea, V. brittonii, V. comosa, V. glandifera, V. micromera | |
Name authority | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 12. (1753) — (as anagall. s) | Jacquin: Enum. Stirp. Vindob. 2: 200. (1762) |
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