Veronica anagallis-aquatica |
Veronica stelleri |
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blue speedwell, blue water speedwell, brook pimpernel, véronique mouron-d'eau, water pimpernel, water speedwell |
Steller's speedwell |
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Habit | Annuals or perennials. | Perennials. |
Stems | erect or prostrate basally, (20–)30–100(–170) cm, usually thick-fleshy, glabrous. |
erect to ascending, unbranched, (5–)10–20(–25) cm, eglandular-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 ovate, 15–30 × 10–20 mm, base rounded, margins dentate or serrate, apex subacute to subobtuse, surfaces eglandular-hairy. |
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, terminal, 10–60 mm, to 100 mm in fruit, 5–15-flowered, axis hairy; bracts lanceolate, 2–5 mm. |
Pedicels | suberect or arcuate-erect to subpatent, curved upwards in fruit, 3–7(–10) mm, longer than subtending bracts, glabrous or hairy. |
erect, 2–11 mm, equal to longer than subtending bract, crisp-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 lobes 4–5 mm, eglandular-ciliate, apex acuminate, glabrous or sparsely hairy; corolla pale blue or violet, rotate, 8–10 mm diam.; stamens 7 mm; style 3–6 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, oblong, 5–6(–8) × 3–4.5 mm, longer than wide, apex ± emarginate, glabrous proximally, hairy distally. |
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. |
number unknown, brown, ovoid, flat, 1–1.5 × 0.7–1.2 mm, thickness and texture unknown. |
2n | = 36. |
= 18 (Japan, Russia). |
Veronica anagallis-aquatica |
Veronica stelleri |
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Phenology | Flowering Mar–Sep(–Nov). | Flowering Jul–Sep. |
Habitat | Stream margins, ditches, banks, springs, swamps, wet meadows. | Dry to moderately moist slopes, meadows in alpine regions, moraines. |
Elevation | 0–4000 m. (0–13100 ft.) | 0–1800 m. (0–5900 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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AK; Asia (Japan, Korea, Russia) |
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.) |
Veronica stelleri may be difficult to differentiate from 4b. V. wormskjoldii subsp. nutans where sympatric. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 17, p. 313. | FNA vol. 17, p. 310. |
Parent taxa | Plantaginaceae > Veronica | Plantaginaceae > Veronica |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | V. anagallis-aquatica var. terrea, V. brittonii, V. comosa, V. glandifera, V. micromera | V. stelleri var. glabrescens, V. wormskjoldii var. stelleri |
Name authority | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 12. (1753) — (as anagall. s) | Link: Jahrb. Gewächsk. 1(3): 40. (1820) |
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