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neckweed, purslane speedwell, véronique voyageuse

field speedwell, green field speedwell, green procumbent speedwell, véronique agreste

Habit Annuals. Annuals.
Stems

erect or ascending, (2.5–)4–25(–35) cm, glabrous or densely glandular-hairy.

creeping to decumbent, 5–25 cm, hairy.

Leaves

blade oblanceolate proximally, narrowly oblong distally, 5–28(–35) × 2–6(–10) mm, 3–10 times as long as wide, base cuneate, margins entire or dentate distally, apex acute, surfaces glabrous or densely glandular-hairy.

blade elliptic-ovate to oblong, (6–)8–16(–19) × (3–)4–10(–13) mm, base truncate, margins serrate, teeth 4–6(–8) per side, apex obtuse to acute, abaxial surface ± more densely hairy than adaxial.

Racemes

1, terminal, sometimes 1 or 2 axillary, 20–200 mm, (2–)5–40-flowered, axis glabrous or densely glandular-hairy;

bracts spatulate to linear-lanceolate, 3–22 mm.

1–5, terminal, 50–250 mm, 5–15-flowered, axis eglandular-hairy, sometimes glandular-hairy;

bracts elliptic-ovate to oblong, (6–)9–16(–19) mm.

Pedicels

erect, 0.2–1(–2) mm, much shorter than subtending bract, glabrous or densely glandular-hairy.

deflexed, (5–)6–10(–15) mm, ± shorter than subtending bracts, densely eglandular- and, sometimes, glandular-hairy distally.

Flowers

calyx lobes (2–)3–6 mm, 0.9–2 mm wide, apex obtuse to acute, glabrous or densely glandular-hairy;

corolla white or pale pink, 2–5 mm diam.;

stamens 1 mm;

style 0.1–0.5 mm.

calyx lobes linear-lanceolate, (5–)6–7 mm, 2.2–2.6 mm wide, apex rounded, sparsely eglandular- or glandular-hairy;

corolla white or pale pinkish or pale blue, 4–5(–6) mm diam.;

stamens 0.5–1 mm;

style (0.6–)0.9–1.1(–1.2) mm.

Capsules

strongly compressed in cross section, obcordiform, 2.5–5 × 2.5–6 mm, apex ± emarginate, glabrous.

± compressed in cross section, ± subglobular, 3.5–4.5(–4.7) × 4.5–6(–6.3) mm, apex emarginate, sparsely glandular-hairy.

Seeds

12–140, yellow or pale brown, oblong, flat, 0.6–1.6 × 0.4–0.9 mm, 0.1–0.2 mm thick, smooth.

6–14, yellow to ochre, globular, cymbiform, 1.3–2.1 × 1–1.6 mm, 0.6–1.1 mm thick, strongly rugose (transversely ribbed).

2n

= 52.

= 28 (Europe).

Veronica peregrina

Veronica agrestis

Phenology Flowering (Feb–)Mar–Jun(–Nov). Flowering May–Oct.
Habitat Moist waste lands, gardens, roadsides, stream banks, pond shorelines, vernal pools, other cultivated land. Light, noncalcareous, moist soils, gravelly soils.
Elevation 0–700(–3000) m. (0–2300(–9800) ft.) (0–)300–800 m. ((0–)1000–2600 ft.)
Distribution
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; 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; Central America; South America; Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, México, Sonora); Eurasia; Australia
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
DC; FL; IL; LA; MA; NY; PA; TX; VT; NF; NS; QC; Europe [Introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Stem indument of Veronica peregrina has been used to distinguish var. xalapensis with a glandular-hairy stem (F. W. Pennell 1935), a variety that seems to be confined to drier places than the type variety. Variety laurentiana is also differentiated from var. peregrina in having a glandular-hairy stem, fleshier leaves, shorter stamens, smaller corollas, and slightly differently shaped capsules (Frère Marie-Victorin and J. Rousseau 1940).

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

Veronica agrestis is similar to the more frequent V. persica and probably frequently overlooked and to be expected elsewhere. However, it should be noted that it is less common than V. persica or V. polita and always in more humid habitats.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 314. FNA vol. 17, p. 320.
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. officinalis, 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. 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. spicata, V. stelleri, V. sublobata, V. teucrium, V. triloba, V. triphyllos, V. undulata, V. verna, V. wormskjoldii
Synonyms V. peregrina var. laurentiana, V. peregrina subsp. xalapensis, V. peregrina var. xalapensis, V. sherwoodii, V. xalapensis
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 14. (1753) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 13. (1753)
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