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neckweed, purslane speedwell, véronique voyageuse

undulate speedwell, wavy-leaf water speedwell

Habit Annuals. Annuals or perennials.
Stems

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

erect or prostrate basally, 10–100 cm, glabrous at least proximally, glandular-hairy distally.

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.

petiole 0–5 mm;

blade elliptic to ovate, sometimes ovate-oblong or linear-lanceolate, rarely lanceolate, 20–50(–100) × 5–20(–25) mm, 2.5–4 times as long as wide, base attenuate, upwards amplexicaul, margins subentire or crenate to serrate or ± undulate, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces glabrous.

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.

6–25, axillary, 50–220 mm, 10–15 mm diam., 10–100-flowered, axis sparsely glandular-hairy, rarely glabrous;

pedicels 2–6 per cm;

bracts linear to lanceolate, 3–6 mm, apex acute.

Pedicels

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

patent, 3–5 mm, equal to subtending bract, sparsely glandular-hairy.

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 1.5–2(–3) mm, apex acute, sparsely glandular-hairy, rarely glabrous;

corolla pale blue or pale lilac, rarely white, 2.5–5 mm diam.;

stamens 2 mm;

style 0.9–2 mm.

Capsules

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

slightly compressed in cross section, obcordiform to globular, 2–3 × 2–3 mm, apex rounded or ± 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.

30–40, ochre, broadly ellipsoid, ± flat, convex on both sides, 0.5–0.6 × 0.4–0.5 mm, thickness and texture unknown.

2n

= 52.

= 54 (Asia).

Veronica peregrina

Veronica undulata

Phenology Flowering (Feb–)Mar–Jun(–Nov). Flowering (Mar–)Apr–Sep.
Habitat Moist waste lands, gardens, roadsides, stream banks, pond shorelines, vernal pools, other cultivated land. Disturbed, wet places, ditches, or swamps.
Elevation 0–700(–3000) m. (0–2300(–9800) ft.) 0–200 m. (0–700 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
AL; OR; WA; Asia [Introduced in North America]
[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.)

In the flora area, Veronica undulata was introduced near ports (Mobile, Alabama, and Portland, Oregon) before 1900 via ship ballast from trade with Asia, did not spread much, and may not have persisted.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 314. FNA vol. 17, p. 314.
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. 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. spicata, V. stelleri, V. sublobata, V. teucrium, V. triloba, V. triphyllos, 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) Wallich: in W. Roxburgh, Fl. Ind. 1: 147. (1820)
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