Veronica anagallis-aquatica |
Veronica triphyllos |
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blue speedwell, blue water speedwell, brook pimpernel, véronique mouron-d'eau, water pimpernel, water speedwell |
finger speedwell, fingered speedwell |
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Habit | Annuals or perennials. | Annuals, sometimes biennials. |
Stems | erect or prostrate basally, (20–)30–100(–170) cm, usually thick-fleshy, glabrous. |
erect or ascending, often blue tinged, (3–)5–15(–20) cm, densely 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: proximal ovate to triangular, 5–7 × 3–6 mm, distal 8–18 × 8–18 mm, base rounded, margins (proximal) coarsely crenate or (distal) 3–5(–7)-palmatifid, apex obtuse, surfaces sparsely hairy, often glandular. |
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, sometimes also 1 or 2 axillary, 30–120(–150) mm, 6–15(–25)-flowered, axis densely eglandular- and glandular-hairy; proximal bracts 5-palmatifid, distal 3-fid, 4–18 mm. |
Pedicels | suberect or arcuate-erect to subpatent, curved upwards in fruit, 3–7(–10) mm, longer than subtending bracts, glabrous or hairy. |
patent or arcuate-ascending, 4–11(–20) mm, ± equal to subtending bract, length 1–2 times calyx, densely 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 4–6(–11) mm, apex obtuse, glandular-hairy; corolla deep blue, 5–10 mm diam.; stamens 0.9–1.7 mm; style (0.5–)0.7–1.5(–2) 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. |
± inflated basally, compressed distally in cross section, obcordiform, 4–5(–10) × 4.5–6.5(–8) mm, apex emarginate, glandular-hairy. |
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. |
14–22(–35), dark brown or blackish, subglobular, cymbiform, 1–2.2 × 0.7–2 mm, 0.4–0.9 mm thick, ± rugulose to cristate. |
2n | = 36. |
= 14 (Eurasia). |
Veronica anagallis-aquatica |
Veronica triphyllos |
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Phenology | Flowering Mar–Sep(–Nov). | Flowering (Feb–)Mar–May(–Jul). |
Habitat | Stream margins, ditches, banks, springs, swamps, wet meadows. | Pine forests, stony pastures, rocky banks, sandy fields, gardens, roadsides, rarely calcareous soils. |
Elevation | 0–4000 m. (0–13100 ft.) | 100–1000 m. (300–3300 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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CA; ID; KS; MO; OK; OR; WA; Eurasia [Introduced in North America] |
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. 315. |
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) | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 14. (1753) |
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