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chain speedwell, pink water speedwell, sessile water-speedwell, water speedwell

bilobed speedwell, twolobe speedwell

Habit Annuals or perennials. Annuals.
Stems

erect or ascending, 15–60(–80) cm, glabrous or glandular-hairy distally.

erect, (1–)2–10(–18) cm, eglandular-hairy.

Leaves

petiole 0 mm;

blade oblong-ovate to oblong-lanceolate, (5–)25–50(–100) × 4–15(–30) mm, 2.5–5 times as long as wide, base amplexical-truncate or amplexical-subcordate, margins entire or subentire, apex acute, surfaces glabrous.

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.

Racemes

10–25, axillary, 100–160 mm, 15–25-flowered, axis glabrous or glandular-hispid;

pedicels less than 3 per cm, glabrous or scarcely to densely short glandular-hairy, rarely completely glabrous;

bracts oblong, 3–5 mm, apex obtuse.

1–8, terminal, 20–80 mm, 5–15(–30)-flowered, axis eglandular- and glandular-hairy;

bracts lanceolate, 6–9 mm, margins entire, apex acute.

Pedicels

patent, (3–)5–10 mm, equal to or ± shorter than subtending bract, glabrous or glandular-hairy.

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.

Flowers

calyx lobes 2.5–3 mm, apex obtuse, glabrous or glandular-hairy;

corolla white to pale pink with darker veins not reaching margins, 4–5 mm diam.;

stamens 5 mm;

style (1.3–)1.5–2.5 mm.

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.

Capsules

± compressed in cross section, subglobular, 2.5–3(–3.5) × 3–4 mm, apex emarginate, sinus 0.1–0.3 mm, glabrous or glandular-hairy.

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.

Seeds

26–123, yellow-brown, ellipsoid to subglobular, planoconvex, 0.4–0.7 × 0.3–0.5 mm, 0.2–0.3 mm thick, smooth.

(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.

2n

= 36.

= 28 (Asia).

Veronica catenata

Veronica biloba

Phenology Flowering Jun–Oct. Flowering Apr–Jul.
Habitat Wet places, rarely running water, lakeshores, ditches, muddy places, stream channels. Bare soils, open forests, scree, mountain and alpine meadows, humid places near streams, waste fields, ruins, calcareous and non-calcareous soils.
Elevation 0–2500 m. (0–8200 ft.) (400–)1300–3000 m. ((1300–)4300–9800 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; MA; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; ND; NE; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; SD; TN; TX; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; ON; QC; SK; Europe
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
MT; UT; BC; Asia [Introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Veronica catenata seems to be a relative of V. anagallis-aquatica that is more cold-adapted, as seen in Europe (R. Götte 2007), and native to the flora area. Although no specimens were seen it may be found in Alaska, Connecticut, and Kentucky.

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

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. 314. FNA vol. 17, p. 321.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Veronica Plantaginaceae > Veronica
Sibling taxa
V. agrestis, V. alpina, V. americana, V. anagallis-aquatica, V. argute-serrata, V. arvensis, V. beccabunga, V. biloba, 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. 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
Synonyms V. catenata var. glandulosa, V. connata subsp. glaberrima
Name authority Pennell: Rhodora 23: 37. (1921) Linnaeus: Mant. Pl. 2: 172. (1771)
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