Veronica biloba |
Veronica cusickii |
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bilobed speedwell, twolobe speedwell |
Cusick's speedwell |
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Habit | Annuals. | Perennials. |
Stems | erect, (1–)2–10(–18) cm, eglandular-hairy. |
erect, unbranched or sparsely branched at base, (5–)10–15(–30) cm, finely glandular-hairy. |
Leaves | blade ovate to lanceolate-ovate, (3–)4–12(–20) × (1–)2–6(–12) mm, base cuneate, margins remotely serrate, rarely dentate, apex acute, surfaces glabrate. |
blade elliptic-ovate, (5–)10–25 × 5–10 mm, base cuneate, margins entire or subentire, apex short-acuminate, surfaces glabrous or glabrate. |
Racemes | 1–8, terminal, 20–80 mm, 5–15(–30)-flowered, axis eglandular- and glandular-hairy; bracts lanceolate, 6–9 mm, margins entire, apex acute. |
1, terminal, (15–)40–80(–130) mm, (4–)8–30(–40)-flowered, axis finely glandular-hairy; bracts lanceolate, 3–7(–11) mm. |
Pedicels | straight or scarcely deflexed, erect-spreading to horizontally spreading in fruit, (2–)3–8(–11) mm, shorter than subtending bract, eglandular-hairy, sometimes glandular-hairy, rarely glabrous. |
erect, 3–9 mm, equal to or ± longer than subtending bract, finely glandular-hairy. |
Flowers | calyx lobes (3–)4–7(–9) mm, margins entire, apex acuminate-acute, pairs connate 0.5–1.5 mm, puberulent or glabrate; corolla pale to clear blue, 2–4 mm diam.; stamens 1–2 mm; style 0.4–0.8(–2) mm. |
calyx lobes 2–3 mm, apex acute to obtuse, finely glandular-hairy; corolla deep blue-violet, rarely white, rotate, (8–)10–13 mm diam.; stamens 4–8 mm; style (5–)6–9(–10) mm, conspicuously exerted. |
Capsules | slightly compressed in cross section, obcordiform, (2.4–)2.8–4(–4.5) × (3–)3.5–5(–6) mm, apex emarginate, eglandular- and/or glandular-hairy, rarely glabrous. |
compressed in cross section, oblong-obovoid, 4–6 × 3.5–5.5 mm, ca. as long as wide, apex emarginate, finely glandular-hairy. |
Seeds | (2–)4–6(–10), bright yellow, oblong, cymbiform, (1.4–)1.7–2(–2.2) × (0.7–)1–1.3 mm, 0.7 mm thick, smooth. |
28–32, straw colored or dark brown, ovoid, flat, 0.6 × 0.4 mm, 0.1 mm thick, rough. |
2n | = 28 (Asia). |
= 18, 72. |
Veronica biloba |
Veronica cusickii |
|
Phenology | Flowering Apr–Jul. | Flowering Jun–Aug. |
Habitat | Bare soils, open forests, scree, mountain and alpine meadows, humid places near streams, waste fields, ruins, calcareous and non-calcareous soils. | Gravelly soils, openings in coniferous forests and in subalpine and alpine meadows. |
Elevation | (400–)1300–3000 m. ((1300–)4300–9800 ft.) | 1500–3200 m. (4900–10500 ft.) |
Distribution |
MT; UT; BC; Asia [Introduced in North America]
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CA; ID; MT; OR; WA; BC
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Discussion | Most reports of Veronica biloba pertain to V. argute-serrata. There are gatherings from potentially mixed populations (for example, Mt. Baldy, British Columbia, Lomer 97-118, UBC). Studies on phenotypic plasticity in these two species are necessary to ascertain the diagnostic characters. Veronica intercedens Bornmüller, native to western Asia, was recently reported from Idaho. It is most similar to V. biloba, distinguished by a large calyx with broadly ovate lobes (3–5 mm versus 2–3.5 mm), the pairs joined by more than one half. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Veronica cusickii is sister to V. copelandii and closely related to V. wormskjoldii subsp. nutans (D. C. Albach et al. 2006). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 17, p. 321. | FNA vol. 17, p. 310. |
Parent taxa | Plantaginaceae > Veronica | Plantaginaceae > Veronica |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | V. allenii | |
Name authority | Linnaeus: Mant. Pl. 2: 172. (1771) | A. Gray: in A. Gray et al., Syn. Fl. N. Amer. 2(1): 288. (1878) |
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