Veronica fruticans |
Veronica americana |
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rock speedwell, woodystem speedwell |
American brooklime, American speedwell, véronique d'amérique |
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Habit | Perennials. | Perennials. |
Stems | ascending to erect, densely branched from woody base, (5–)10–15(–30) cm, eglandular-hairy, sometimes glandular-hairy. |
decumbent or ascending, 5–50 cm, glabrous. |
Leaves | 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. |
petiole 2–6(–10) mm; blade ovate to lanceolate, widest proximal to middle, (5–)30–50(–100) × (3–)7–20(–30) mm, 2–4 times as long as wide, base truncate, rounded or almost cordate, abruptly turning into petioles, margins entire or serrate, apex obtuse-orbicular or acute, surfaces glabrous. |
Racemes | 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. |
1–8, axillary, 30–100 mm, (3–)10–30-flowered, axis glabrous; bracts lanceolate, 3–6 mm. |
Pedicels | erect, (2–)5–7(–15) mm, equal to ± longer than subtending bracts, eglandular-hairy. |
patent, 3–10(–12) mm, equal to ± longer than subtending bract, glabrous. |
Flowers | 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. |
calyx lobes 2–5(–6) mm, apex acute, glabrous; corolla pink or sky blue, 4–10 mm diam.; stamens 2–4 mm; style (1.7–)2.5–3.5(–4) mm. |
Capsules | ± 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. |
slightly compressed in cross section, globular, 2–4 × 3–5 mm, apex not or ± emarginate, glabrous. |
Seeds | 35–62, orange, ellipsoid, flat, 0.9–1.5 × (0.4–)0.9–1.2 mm, 0.2–0.3 mm thick, smooth. |
20–30, brownish, ellipsoid to ovoid, indistinct-compressed or planoconvex, 0.5–0.7 × 0.3–0.6 mm, thickness varies due to compression in capsule, indistinctly wrinkled or ± rugose. |
2n | = 16. |
= 36. |
Veronica fruticans |
Veronica americana |
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Phenology | Flowering (May–)Jun–Aug. | Flowering May–Aug. |
Habitat | Fissures, rocky places, scree. | Slowly flowing waters, banks, sand bars, gravel flood plains, moist soils, springs, ditches, swamps, marshes. |
Elevation | 0–1000 m. (0–3300 ft.) | 0–3600 m. (0–11800 ft.) |
Distribution |
Greenland |
AK; AR; AZ; CA; CO; CT; DE; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NF; NS; NT; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; Mexico; Asia (Japan, Russia)
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Discussion | Although difficult to separate, Veronica beccabunga and V. americana are maintained as species here. Evidence suggesting separate species status is different ploidy level (the tetraploid level is rare in V. beccabunga) and the occurrence of V. americana in more natural habitats. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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Source | FNA vol. 17, p. 318. | FNA vol. 17, p. 313. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | V. beccabunga var. americana | |
Name authority | Jacquin: Enum. Stirp. Vindob. 2: 200. (1762) | Schweinitz ex Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 10: 468. (1846) |
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