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bird's-eye speedwell, bird-eye speedwell, large field or bird's-eye speedwell, Persian speedwell, véronique de perse

Dillenius' speedwell

Habit Annuals. Annuals.
Stems

creeping to decumbent, 10–50(–60) cm, eglandular-hairy.

erect to ascending, (8–)10–20(–40) cm, glandular- and eglandular-hairy.

Leaves

blade suborbiculate, broadly ovate, or broadly lanceolate, (6–)9–18(–30) × (5–)8–15(–20) mm, base truncate, margins serrate, apex acute, surfaces sparsely eglandular-hairy.

blade lanceolate to ovate, 7–19(–21) × (3–)5–12 mm, 1–2 times as long as wide, base cuneate, margins (proximal) crenate-dentate or (distal) ±palmatifid, lobes 3–7+, apex of central lobe obtuse, lateral ± acute, surfaces glandular- and eglandular-hairy.

Racemes

1–6, terminal, 100–500(–600) mm, 5–30-flowered, axis eglandular-hairy;

bracts suborbiculate or broadly ovate or broadly lanceolate, (6–)9–18(–25) mm.

1, terminal, 60–180 mm, 15–50(–120)-flowered, axis eglandular- and glandular-hairy;

proximal bracts similar to leaves, distal ones linear-lanceolate, 3–5 mm.

Pedicels

spreading, deflexed in fruit, (12–)15–27(–38) mm, length 1–2(–3) times subtending bract, densely eglandular-hairy.

erect, 2–4(–5) mm, shorter than subtending bract, length 1/2–1 times calyx, eglandular- and glandular-hairy.

Flowers

calyx lobes (4.5–)5.5–8(–9.5) mm, (1.7–)2.4–3.6(–4.2) mm wide, apex acuminate, eglandular-hairy;

corolla intense bright blue, 8–14 mm diam.;

stamens 1.2 mm;

style (1.5–)2–2.8(–3.2) mm.

calyx lobes 3.5–6 mm, apex acute, eglandular- and glandular-hairy;

corolla deep blue, 4–6 mm diam.;

stamens 0.8–1.5 mm;

style 0.8–1.5 mm, stigma violet.

Capsules

compressed in cross section, broadly obcordiform, 4–6 × (5–)6–8.5(–9.5) mm, apex acute, sinus angle (80–)90–120(–150)°, reticulate with prominent veins, ± sparsely to densely eglandular- and/or glandular-hairy or glabrate.

compressed in cross section, narrowly obcordiform, 3.5–4.5 × 4–6 mm, apex emarginate, angle of sinus ca. 90°, ciliate with glandular and eglandular hairs.

Seeds

(10–)12–18(–20), pale brownish yellow, ellipsoid to globular, cymbiform, (1.3–)1.4–2.3(–2.5) × (0.8–)0.9–1.6(–1.9) mm, 0.5–1 mm thick, cristate-rugose.

10–28, yellowish, ellipsoid, flat, 0.9–1.6 × 0.7–1.3 mm, 0.2–0.3 mm thick, smooth.

2n

= 28.

= 16 (Eurasia).

Veronica persica

Veronica dillenii

Phenology Flowering (Jan–)Apr–Jul(–Dec). Flowering (Mar–)Apr–Jul.
Habitat Roadsides, lawns, fields, waste places. Open pine and oak forests, rocky, dry, sandy slopes.
Elevation 0–500(–2000) m. (0–1600(–6600) ft.) 500–2200 m. (1600–7200 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; 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; sw Asia [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Mexico (Michoacán, Veracruz), Central America, South America, Eurasia, e Asia, Africa, Atlantic Islands, Pacific Islands, Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
IL; IN; MI; NY; VA; WI; Eurasia [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

The names Veronica buxbaumii Tenore and V. tournefortii C. C. Gmelin (not V. ×tournefortii Villars) have been used for V. persica.

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

Veronica dillenii is closely related to V. verna but with larger flowers; it may have been overlooked and may be distributed more widely. Most herbarium specimens of V. dillenii blacken when dry due to the presence of aucubin, which distinguishes them from V. verna.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 319. FNA vol. 17, p. 318.
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. peregrina, 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. 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. persica var. aschersoniana, V. persica var. corrensiana, V. tournefortii subsp. aschersoniana, V. tournefortii subsp. corrensiana
Name authority Poiret: in J. Lamarck et al., Encycl. 8: 542. (1808) Crantz: Stirp. Austr. Fasc. ed. 2, 2: 352. (1769)
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