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

grass-leaf speedwell, marsh speedwell, narrow-leaf speedwell, skullcap speedwell, véronique en écusson

Habit Annuals or perennials. Perennials.
Stems

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

ascending, (5–)15–45(–80) cm, glabrous, sometimes sparsely eglandular-hairy distally.

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.

petiole 0 mm;

blade narrowly lanceolate or linear, rarely elliptic, (10–)30–50(–80) × (2–)3–7(–14) mm, 6–10 times as long as wide, base cuneate, margins remote- and fine-dentate, apex acute, abaxial surface glabrous, adaxial glabrous or sparsely eglandular-hairy.

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.

1–5(–10), axillary, 40–90(–150) mm, (2–)5–20-flowered, axis glabrous, sometimes sparsely eglandular-hairy;

bracts lanceolate, 1.5–3 mm.

Pedicels

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

patent or ± curled, (6–)10–15(–17) mm, longer than subtending bracts, 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 (1–)2–3 mm, apex obtuse to acute, glabrate;

corolla pale lilac, pale sky blue, or whitish, with pink or dark blue narrow stripes, 2.5–7 mm diam.;

stamens 4–5 mm;

style (1–)2–4 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 or reniform, 2.5–5 × (3–)4–6 mm, apex emarginate by 1/3 length, 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.

5–20, pale brownish, globular or ovoid, flat, 1.2–1.9 × 1–1.5 mm, 0.2 mm thick, smooth.

2n

= 36.

= 18.

Veronica catenata

Veronica scutellata

Phenology Flowering Jun–Oct. Flowering May–Sep.
Habitat Wet places, rarely running water, lakeshores, ditches, muddy places, stream channels. Moist meadows, marshes, shallows, forests, steppes, fens, stream banks, lakeshores.
Elevation 0–2500 m. (0–8200 ft.) 0–1800(–2400) m. (0–5900(–7900) 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
AK; AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; IA; ID; IL; IN; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MT; NC; ND; NH; NJ; NV; NY; OH; OR; PA; RI; TN; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NL; NS; NT; NU; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; SPM; Eurasia; Africa (Algeria) [Introduced in s South America (Argentina)]
[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.)

Alpine dwarf forms of Veronica scutellata tend to have relatively broad leaves and may therefore be easily confused with other species.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 314. FNA vol. 17, p. 311.
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. fruticans, V. grandiflora, V. hederifolia, V. longifolia, V. officinalis, V. peregrina, V. persica, V. polita, 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 V. connata, V. scutellata var. villosa
Name authority Pennell: Rhodora 23: 37. (1921) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 12. (1753)
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