Veronica serpyllifolia |
Veronica chamaedrys |
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thyme-leaf speedwell |
bird's-eye speedwell, Germander speedwell, véronique petit-chêne |
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Habit | Perennials. | Perennials. |
Stems | creeping to ascending, 5–40 cm, scattered eglandular hairs only, often also with glandular hairs, sometimes glabrate. |
ascending, rarely erect, (7–)10–30(–50) cm, densely eglandular-hairy, hairs along stem in 2 prominent lines. |
Leaves | blade oblong-lanceolate to ovate, 8–25 × 5–13 mm, 1.5–2.5 times as long as wide, base cuneate, margins subentire or serrulate-crenate, apex rounded to short-acuminate, surfaces glabrate. |
blade narrowly ovate to ovate-orbiculate, (10–)12–30(–42) × (6–)10–22(–30) mm, 1–2 times as long as wide, base truncate to ± cordate, margins crenate to deeply incised, apex obtuse, surfaces variably hairy. |
Racemes | 1, terminal, 50–100 mm, 10–30(–60)-flowered, axis eglandular- and glandular-hairy; bracts oblong, 4–7 mm. |
1–4, axillary, 40–100(–200) mm, 15–40(–60)-flowered, axis eglandular-hairy, sometimes also glandular-hairy; bracts linear-elliptic, 3–7 mm. |
Pedicels | erect, 2–5 mm, 4–6 mm in fruit, shorter than subtending bract in flower, eglandular- and, sometimes, glandular-hairy. |
suberect, (3–)5–8(–10) mm, equal to or shorter than subtending bract, eglandular- and glandular-hairy. |
Flowers | calyx lobes 2–3 mm, apex acute, ciliate; corolla white, blue, or pink, with purple or dark blue veins (except on abaxial lobe), rotate, 5–8 mm diam.; stamens 2.5–3 mm; style 2–4 mm. |
calyx 4-lobed, lobes 2–8 mm, apex acute, eglandular- and, sometimes, glandular-hairy; corolla blue obscure darker nerves and sometimes whitish margin, (6–)10–14(–17) mm diam.; stamens 4.5–6.5 mm; style (2.5–)4–5 mm. |
Capsules | compressed in cross section, obcordiform, 2.5–3.5 × 4–5.5 mm, wider than long, apex acutely emarginate, glandular-ciliate, otherwise glabrate. |
strongly compressed in cross section, obcordiform to obdeltoid, (2–)3.5–4(–5) × (3.5–)4–5(–5.5) mm, apex ± emarginate, eglandular-hairy. |
Seeds | 50–72, brown, ellipsoid, flat, 0.6–1.1 × 0.4–1 mm, 0.2 mm thick, smooth. |
(2–)12–20(–28), yellow, ellipsoid, flat, 1.1–1.7 × 0.6–1.5 mm, 0.2–0.4 mm thick, smooth to subrugose. |
2n | = 14. |
= 16, 32 (Eurasia). |
Veronica serpyllifolia |
Veronica chamaedrys |
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Phenology | Flowering Apr–Aug. | Flowering Apr–Jun(–Oct). |
Habitat | River banks, wet places, moist meadows, shady forests. | Rich soils, deciduous forests, forest edges, roadsides, chaparral, scrub, meadows, lawns. |
Elevation | 0–3300 m. (0–10800 ft.) | 0–2200 m. (0–7200 ft.) |
Distribution |
AK; AL; AR; AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; DE; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; NC; ND; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; TN; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; NB; NL; NS; ON; PE; QC; SK; South America; Mexico (Baja California); Eurasia; Australia
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AK; CT; DC; ID; IL; IN; MA; MD; ME; MI; MO; MT; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OR; PA; RI; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; AB; BC; NB; NF; NS; ON; PE; QC; Eurasia [Introduced in South America (Argentina)]
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Discussion | Alpine plants of Veronica serpyllifolia with bright blue, larger corollas, and smaller, hairier raceme axes have been treated at various ranks under the epithet humifusa. The characters are labile and show intergradations with the typical plants. Veronica serpyllifolia is widespread; it is not clear where it is native. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
The description provided here for Veronica chamaedrys is solely for the tetraploid cytotype, most probably the exclusive cytotype in the flora area and in central and western Europe. The diploid cytotype is so far only known from eastern and southeastern Europe (K. E. Bardy et al. 2010). A significant change in morphology can occur in shaded habitats, in which especially the petiole can be elongated beyond the range given. It is unclear whether Veronica chamaedrys is introduced throughout the flora area; it may be native in northeastern areas of North America. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 17, p. 312. | FNA vol. 17, p. 318. |
Parent taxa | Plantaginaceae > Veronica | Plantaginaceae > Veronica |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | V. humifusa, V. serpyllifolia var. decipiens, V. serpyllifolia subsp. humifusa, V. serpyllifolia var. humifusa, V. tenella | |
Name authority | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 12. (1753) | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 13. (1753) |
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