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Copeland's speedwell

spike speedwell, véronique en épi

Habit Perennials. Perennials.
Stems

ascending, unbranched, 5–15 cm, densely glandular-hairy.

ascending, usually with 4–10 nodes, 5–45(–60) cm, proximally eglandular- or glandular-hairy, sometimes glabrous, distally eglandular- and, usually, glandular-hairy.

Leaves

blade oblong-elliptic, (5–)10–15(–35) × 4–8 mm, base cuneate, margins entire, apex short-acuminate, surfaces hairy.

blade ovate-oblong to narrowly oblong-lanceolate, (30–)40–70(–80) × 5–20 mm, base long-cuneate, margins shallowly crenate to shallowly serrate to subentire, apex obtuse to rounded, surfaces densely glandular- or eglandular-hairy, rarely glabrate.

Racemes

1, terminal, distalmost leaves often with 1 or 2 axillary flowers, 10–80 mm, (3–)5–15-flowered, axis glandular-hairy;

bracts lanceolate, 3–5 mm.

1(–7), terminal, sometimes with lateral ones, (50–)70–130(–170) mm, (50–)100–300-flowered, axis eglandular- and glandular-hairy;

bracts oblong to lanceolate, 3–5 mm.

Pedicels

erect, 5–8 mm, equal to ± longer than subtending bract, densely glandular-hairy.

suberect to patent, 0.5–1(–2) mm, shorter than subtending bract, eglandular- and glandular-hairy.

Flowers

calyx 4(or 5)-lobed, lobes (1–)2–3 mm, apex obtuse, glandular-hairy;

corolla pale blue to purple, rotate, 8–10 mm diam.;

stamens 4–5 mm;

style 7 mm.

calyx lobes 2–3 mm, ciliate, apex obtuse, glandular-hairy, rarely eglandular-hairy;

corolla blue, campanulate, longer than wide, 5–6 mm diam., lobes 3–4.5 × 1.5–2 mm;

stamens 5 mm;

style 8 mm.

Capsules

compressed in cross section, broadly oblong, 5–6 × 3.5 mm, longer than wide, apex emarginate, glandular-hairy.

± compressed in cross section, broadly ovoid, 2–3 × 2–3 mm, apex obtuse, densely glandular-puberulent.

Seeds

number unknown, brown, ovoid, flat, 1–1.2 × 0.7–1.1 mm, thickness and texture unknown.

3–40, light brown, ellipsoid, flat, 0.6–1.2 × 0.5–0.8 mm, 0.2–0.4 mm thick, smooth.

2n

= 18.

= 34, 68 (Europe).

Veronica copelandii

Veronica spicata

Phenology Flowering Jul–Aug. Flowering Jun–Sep.
Habitat Subalpine meadows, alpine slopes. Dry grasslands.
Elevation 1900–2500 m. (6200–8200 ft.) 0–700 m. (0–2300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CT; NH; NY; ON; QC; Eurasia [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Veronica copelandii is sister to V. cusickii in the phylogenetic analysis by D. C. Albach et al. (2006). It occurs in the Klamath Ranges of northwestern California.

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

Veronica spicata is widely distributed in horticulture and a multitude of cultivars is available. Some specimens may also be derived from a related species, V. barrelieri Schott ex Roemer & Schultes, differentiated from V. spicata by glabrous calyx lobes, and in its typical variety, by eglandular pubescence. Another closely related species, V. incana Linnaeus, has a dense white woolly indumentum and is native to northern Asia and eastern Europe; it has not escaped from cultivation in the flora area.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 310. FNA vol. 17, p. 308.
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. catenata, V. chamaedrys, 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. scutellata, V. serpyllifolia, V. stelleri, V. sublobata, V. teucrium, V. triloba, V. triphyllos, V. undulata, V. verna, V. wormskjoldii
Name authority Eastwood: Bot. Gaz. 41: 288, fig. 2. (1906) — (as copelandi) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 10. (1753)
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