Veronica biloba |
Veronica grandiflora |
|
---|---|---|
bilobed speedwell, twolobe speedwell |
large-flower speedwell |
|
Habit | Annuals. | Perennials. |
Stems | erect, (1–)2–10(–18) cm, eglandular-hairy. |
prostrate to erect, unbranched, (3–)5–15(–20) cm, viscid-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, 20–45 × 15–30 mm, 1–3 times as long as wide, base cuneate, margins ± crenate-serrate, apex acute to rounded, abaxial surface with articulate hairs or glabrous, adaxial hirsute, or surfaces sparsely ciliate only. |
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. |
1–4, axillary, 50–150 mm, 3–8-flowered, axis viscid-hairy; bracts oblong, 3–5 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. |
suberect, 8–10 mm, longer than subtending bract, viscid-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 4 mm, apex obtuse, hairy; corolla bright blue to violet-blue, 8–9 mm diam.; stamens 7 mm; style 7–9 mm. |
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, obovoid, 9–11 × 7–8 mm, apex emarginate, sparsely 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. |
unknown. |
2n | = 28 (Asia). |
= ca. 48–50 (Russia). |
Veronica biloba |
Veronica grandiflora |
|
Phenology | Flowering Apr–Jul. | Flowering Jul–Aug. |
Habitat | Bare soils, open forests, scree, mountain and alpine meadows, humid places near streams, waste fields, ruins, calcareous and non-calcareous soils. | Meadows, between stones, slopes, alpine slopes. |
Elevation | (400–)1300–3000 m. ((1300–)4300–9800 ft.) | 0–600 m. (0–2000 ft.) |
Distribution |
MT; UT; BC; Asia [Introduced in North America]
|
AK; Asia (Japan, Russia) |
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.) |
|
Source | FNA vol. 17, p. 321. | FNA vol. 17, p. 311. |
Parent taxa | Plantaginaceae > Veronica | Plantaginaceae > Veronica |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | V. aphylla var. grandiflora, V. grandiflora var. minor | |
Name authority | Linnaeus: Mant. Pl. 2: 172. (1771) | Gaertner: Novi Comment. Acad. Sci. Imp. Petrop. 14(1): 531, plate 18, fig. 1. (1770) |
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