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common gypsyweed, common speedwell, heath speedwell, herbal speedwell, Paul's betony, véronique officinale

corn speedwell, speedwell, véronique des champs, wall speedwell

Habit Perennials. Annuals.
Stems

creeping, decumbent to ascending distally, 10–40(–50) cm, densely eglandular-hairy, rarely glabrate or glabrous.

erect to ascending, 1–30(–40) cm, glandular- or eglandular-hairy.

Leaves

blade ovate, ovate-oblong, or obovate, (8–)20–35(–50) × (3–)10–20(–30) mm, 1.5–2 times as long as wide, base attenuate to cuneate or obtuse, margins dentate, denticulate, or serrulate, apex obtuse to rounded, surfaces sparsely to densely eglandular-hairy, rarely glabrate.

in 3–6 pairs per stem;

blade oblong to broadly ovate, (2–)5–14(–35) × (2–)3–10(–18) mm, 2.5 times as long as wide, base truncate, margins crenate-serrate, apex obtuse to rounded, surfaces sparsely eglandular-hairy, rarely also glandular-hairy.

Racemes

1–4(–8), axillary, 40–60 mm, 10–35(–40)-flowered, axis densely to sparsely eglandular-hairy, sometimes also glandular-hairy, rarely glabrate;

bracts linear-lanceolate or narrowly ovate, (1.5–)3–4(–5) mm.

1(–3), terminal, 20–150 mm, (5–)15–40(–60)-flowered, axis densely eglandular- and glandular-hairy;

bracts linear-oblong, (3.5–)4–6(–10) mm.

Pedicels

erect, (0.5–)1–2(–3) mm, shorter than subtending bract, densely eglandular-hairy, rarely glandular-hairy or glabrate.

erect, 0–4 mm, shorter than subtending bract, densely eglandular- and glandular-hairy.

Flowers

calyx 4(or 5)-lobed, lobes 2–3.5(–4) mm, apex obtuse, glandular- and eglandular-hairy;

corolla pale blue-lilac to pale pink, rarely white with pink veins, 6–8 mm diam.;

stamens 2.8–3.4 mm;

style 2.5–3(–4) mm.

calyx lobes (2–)3.5–5(–6) mm, 0.8–2 mm wide, apex acute, glandular-hairy;

corolla sky blue to intense blue, 2–4 mm diam.;

stamens 0.3–0.5 mm;

style (0.2–)0.4–0.6(–1) mm.

Capsules

compressed in cross section, triangulate-obdeltoid to obcordiform, 3–5 × 4–5 mm, apex rounded or truncate, rarely emarginate, glandular-hairy, rarely glabrous.

compressed in cross section, obcordiform, 2–4 × 2.5–5 mm, apex markedly emarginate, glandular-ciliate, otherwise glabrous.

Seeds

9–24, brown to yellow, ellipsoid, ovoid, or obovoid, flat, 0.8–1.6 × (0.3–)0.6–1.2 mm, 0.2–0.3 mm thick, smooth.

10–30, yellowish, ovoid, flat, 0.7–1.7 × 0.4–1 mm, 0.2–0.4 mm thick, rugose.

2n

= 18, 36 (Europe).

= 16.

Veronica officinalis

Veronica arvensis

Phenology Flowering (Apr–)Jun–Jul(–Aug). Flowering (Feb–)Mar–Jun(–Oct).
Habitat Forests, meadows, pastures, scrub, ruderal places. Disturbed sites, lawns, fields, open forests, scrub, grasslands, rocky sites, coasts.
Elevation 0–1600 m. (0–5200 ft.) 0–2900 m. (0–9500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; CT; DC; DE; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MT; NC; ND; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; BC; NB; NF; NS; ON; PE; QC; SPM; Greenland; Eurasia [Introduced in North America; introduced in s South America (Chile)]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; AL; AR; AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; MT; NC; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; BC; NB; NF; NS; ON; PE; QC; YT; Atlantic Islands; Pacific Islands; Greenland; Africa; Eurasia; Australia [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Mexico, Central America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Veronica ×tournefortii Villars [V. officinalis var. tournefortii (Villars) Dumortier] refers to the hybrid between V. officinalis and V. allionii Villars in Europe and is not applicable to any North American plant.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 311. FNA vol. 17, p. 317.
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. copelandii, V. cusickii, V. cymbalaria, V. dillenii, V. filiformis, V. fruticans, V. grandiflora, V. hederifolia, V. longifolia, 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. 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. spicata, V. stelleri, V. sublobata, V. teucrium, V. triloba, V. triphyllos, V. undulata, V. verna, V. wormskjoldii
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 11. (1753) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 13. (1753)
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