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corn speedwell, speedwell, véronique des champs, wall speedwell

spike speedwell, véronique en épi

Habit Annuals. Perennials.
Stems

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

ascending, usually with 4–10 nodes, 5–45(–60) cm, proximally eglandular- or glandular-hairy, sometimes glabrous, distally eglandular- and, usually, glandular-hairy.

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 ovate-oblong to narrowly oblong-lanceolate, (30–)40–70(–80) × 5–20 mm, base long-cuneate, margins shallowly crenate to shallowly serrate to subentire, apex obtuse to rounded, surfaces densely glandular- or eglandular-hairy, rarely 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(–7), terminal, sometimes with lateral ones, (50–)70–130(–170) mm, (50–)100–300-flowered, axis eglandular- and glandular-hairy;

bracts oblong to lanceolate, 3–5 mm.

Pedicels

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

suberect to patent, 0.5–1(–2) mm, shorter than subtending bract, eglandular- and 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, ciliate, apex obtuse, glandular-hairy, rarely eglandular-hairy;

corolla blue, campanulate, longer than wide, 5–6 mm diam., lobes 3–4.5 × 1.5–2 mm;

stamens 5 mm;

style 8 mm.

Capsules

compressed in cross section, obcordiform, 2–4 × 2.5–5 mm, apex markedly emarginate, glandular-ciliate, otherwise glabrous.

± compressed in cross section, broadly ovoid, 2–3 × 2–3 mm, apex obtuse, densely glandular-puberulent.

Seeds

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

3–40, light brown, ellipsoid, flat, 0.6–1.2 × 0.5–0.8 mm, 0.2–0.4 mm thick, smooth.

2n

= 16.

= 34, 68 (Europe).

Veronica arvensis

Veronica spicata

Phenology Flowering (Feb–)Mar–Jun(–Oct). Flowering Jun–Sep.
Habitat Disturbed sites, lawns, fields, open forests, scrub, grasslands, rocky sites, coasts. Dry grasslands.
Elevation 0–2900 m. (0–9500 ft.) 0–700 m. (0–2300 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
CT; NH; NY; ON; QC; Eurasia [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Veronica spicata is widely distributed in horticulture and a multitude of cultivars is available. Some specimens may also be derived from a related species, V. barrelieri Schott ex Roemer & Schultes, differentiated from V. spicata by glabrous calyx lobes, and in its typical variety, by eglandular pubescence. Another closely related species, V. incana Linnaeus, has a dense white woolly indumentum and is native to northern Asia and eastern Europe; it has not escaped from cultivation in the flora area.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 317. FNA vol. 17, p. 308.
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. serpyllifolia, V. stelleri, V. sublobata, V. teucrium, V. triloba, V. triphyllos, V. undulata, V. verna, V. wormskjoldii
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 13. (1753) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 10. (1753)
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