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

rock speedwell, woodystem speedwell

Habit Annuals or perennials. Perennials.
Stems

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

ascending to erect, densely branched from woody base, (5–)10–15(–30) cm, eglandular-hairy, sometimes glandular-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 obovate to ovate or spatulate, sometimes suborbiculate proximally, (7–)8–20(–25) × (2–)3–6(–7) mm, mostly shorter to equal to internodes, base cuneate, margins entire or ± crenate or serrate, apex acute, surfaces glabrous or 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.

1–10(–20), terminal, rarely with 1–4 axillary, 20–40 mm, (1–)4–10(–18)-flowered, axis glabrate to sparsely eglandular-hairy;

bracts linear or linear-lanceolate or long-ovate, (1–)3.5–9(–15) mm.

Pedicels

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

erect, (2–)5–7(–15) mm, equal to ± longer than subtending bracts, eglandular-hairy.

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 4(or 5)-lobed, lobes (2.5–)4.5–6(–8) mm, apex obtuse, eglandular-hairy, sometimes also glandular-hairy;

corolla intense blue, sometimes with reddish or white center, rarely white, rotate, (6–)10–14(–15) mm diam.;

stamens 5–7 mm;

style (3–)5–7(–8.5) 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.

± compressed in cross section, ovoid, (5–)6–8(–9) × (3–)4–4.5(–5.5) mm, longer than wide, apex attenuate to apiculate and acute, rarely rounded, not emarginate, eglandular-hairy, sometimes mixed with larger glandular hairs.

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.

35–62, orange, ellipsoid, flat, 0.9–1.5 × (0.4–)0.9–1.2 mm, 0.2–0.3 mm thick, smooth.

2n

= 36.

= 16.

Veronica catenata

Veronica fruticans

Phenology Flowering Jun–Oct. Flowering (May–)Jun–Aug.
Habitat Wet places, rarely running water, lakeshores, ditches, muddy places, stream channels. Fissures, rocky places, scree.
Elevation 0–2500 m. (0–8200 ft.) 0–1000 m. (0–3300 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 USDA
Greenland
[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.)

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 314. FNA vol. 17, p. 318.
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. biloba, V. catenata, V. chamaedrys, V. copelandii, V. cusickii, V. cymbalaria, V. dillenii, V. filiformis, 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) Jacquin: Enum. Stirp. Vindob. 2: 200. (1762)
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