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thyme-leaf speedwell

Copeland's speedwell

Habit Perennials. Perennials.
Stems

creeping to ascending, 5–40 cm, scattered eglandular hairs only, often also with glandular hairs, sometimes glabrate.

ascending, unbranched, 5–15 cm, densely glandular-hairy.

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 oblong-elliptic, (5–)10–15(–35) × 4–8 mm, base cuneate, margins entire, apex short-acuminate, surfaces hairy.

Racemes

1, terminal, 50–100 mm, 10–30(–60)-flowered, axis eglandular- and glandular-hairy;

bracts oblong, 4–7 mm.

1, terminal, distalmost leaves often with 1 or 2 axillary flowers, 10–80 mm, (3–)5–15-flowered, axis glandular-hairy;

bracts lanceolate, 3–5 mm.

Pedicels

erect, 2–5 mm, 4–6 mm in fruit, shorter than subtending bract in flower, eglandular- and, sometimes, glandular-hairy.

erect, 5–8 mm, equal to ± longer than subtending bract, densely 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(or 5)-lobed, lobes (1–)2–3 mm, apex obtuse, glandular-hairy;

corolla pale blue to purple, rotate, 8–10 mm diam.;

stamens 4–5 mm;

style 7 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.

compressed in cross section, broadly oblong, 5–6 × 3.5 mm, longer than wide, apex emarginate, glandular-hairy.

Seeds

50–72, brown, ellipsoid, flat, 0.6–1.1 × 0.4–1 mm, 0.2 mm thick, smooth.

number unknown, brown, ovoid, flat, 1–1.2 × 0.7–1.1 mm, thickness and texture unknown.

2n

= 14.

= 18.

Veronica serpyllifolia

Veronica copelandii

Phenology Flowering Apr–Aug. Flowering Jul–Aug.
Habitat River banks, wet places, moist meadows, shady forests. Subalpine meadows, alpine slopes.
Elevation 0–3300 m. [0–10800 ft.] 1900–2500 m. [6200–8200 ft.]
Distribution
from FNA
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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from FNA
CA
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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.)

Veronica copelandii is sister to V. cusickii in the phylogenetic analysis by D. C. Albach et al. (2006). It occurs in the Klamath Ranges of northwestern California.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 312. FNA vol. 17, p. 310.
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. persica, V. polita, V. scutellata, 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. 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. humifusa, V. serpyllifolia var. decipiens, V. serpyllifolia subsp. humifusa, V. serpyllifolia var. humifusa, V. tenella
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 12. (1753) Eastwood: Bot. Gaz. 41: 288, fig. 2. (1906) — (as copelandi)
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