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corn speedwell, speedwell, véronique des champs, wall speedwell

thyme-leaf speedwell

Habit Annuals. Perennials.
Stems

erect to ascending, 1–30(–40) cm, glandular- or eglandular-hairy.

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

Leaves

in 3–6 pairs per stem;

blade oblong to broadly ovate, (2–)5–14(–35) × (2–)3–10(–18) mm, 2.5 times as long as wide, base truncate, margins crenate-serrate, apex obtuse to rounded, surfaces sparsely eglandular-hairy, rarely also glandular-hairy.

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(–3), terminal, 20–150 mm, (5–)15–40(–60)-flowered, axis densely eglandular- and glandular-hairy;

bracts linear-oblong, (3.5–)4–6(–10) mm.

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

bracts oblong, 4–7 mm.

Pedicels

erect, 0–4 mm, shorter than subtending bract, densely eglandular- and glandular-hairy.

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

Flowers

calyx lobes (2–)3.5–5(–6) mm, 0.8–2 mm wide, apex acute, glandular-hairy;

corolla sky blue to intense blue, 2–4 mm diam.;

stamens 0.3–0.5 mm;

style (0.2–)0.4–0.6(–1) 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, obcordiform, 2–4 × 2.5–5 mm, apex markedly emarginate, glandular-ciliate, otherwise glabrous.

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

Seeds

10–30, yellowish, ovoid, flat, 0.7–1.7 × 0.4–1 mm, 0.2–0.4 mm thick, rugose.

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

2n

= 16.

= 14.

Veronica arvensis

Veronica serpyllifolia

Phenology Flowering (Feb–)Mar–Jun(–Oct). Flowering Apr–Aug.
Habitat Disturbed sites, lawns, fields, open forests, scrub, grasslands, rocky sites, coasts. River banks, wet places, moist meadows, shady forests.
Elevation 0–2900 m. (0–9500 ft.) 0–3300 m. (0–10800 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; AL; AR; AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; MT; NC; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; BC; NB; NF; NS; ON; PE; QC; YT; Atlantic Islands; Pacific Islands; Greenland; Africa; Eurasia; Australia [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Mexico, Central 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

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. 317. FNA vol. 17, p. 312.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Veronica Plantaginaceae > Veronica
Sibling taxa
V. agrestis, V. alpina, V. americana, V. anagallis-aquatica, V. argute-serrata, 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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