Veronica anagallis-aquatica
Synthyris schizantha
(synonym of Veronica schizantha)
blue speedwell, blue water speedwell, brook pimpernel, véronique mouron-d'eau, water pimpernel, water speedwell
fringe kittentails, fringe synthyris, fringe-petal kittentails
erect or prostrate basally, (20–)30–100(–170) cm, usually thick-fleshy, glabrous.
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.
persistent, some withering in 2d year as new leaves expand;
blade ovate to reniform or orbiculate, 25+ mm wide, chartaceous, base cordate to lobate, margins incised-crenate, teeth apices obtuse to rounded, surfaces ± hairy;
basal veins extending into distal 1/2 of blade, lateral veins 2–4 on each side of midvein.
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.
erect, to 35 cm in fruit;
sterile bracts 2, fan-shaped, largest 2+ cm;
flowers 15–80, loosely aggregated.
suberect or arcuate-erect to subpatent, curved upwards in fruit, 3–7(–10) mm, longer than subtending bracts, glabrous or hairy.
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.
epipetalous.
ovules 2–7.
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.
glabrous or sparsely hairy along margins.
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.
4.
(3 or)4(or 5), apex laciniate;
corolla blue to lavender with veins deeper colored (except tube yellowish white), ± regular, campanulate, much longer than calyx, glabrous, tube conspicuous.
= 36.
Veronica anagallis-aquatica
Synthyris schizantha
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.)
Synthyris schizantha is known from the southern Olympic Mountains in Grays Harbor County and the Cascade Mountains in Lewis County, Washington, and in the vicinity of Saddle Mountain in Clatsop County, Oregon.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
- Local floras:
BC, 
CA, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos,
Flora NW, 
Go Botany, 
IL Wildflowers, 
KS Wildflowers, 
MI Flora, 
MO Plants, 
PNW Herbaria, 
SW CO Wildflowers, Turner Photog. 
WildflowerSearch
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USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
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