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thyme-leaf speedwell

undulate speedwell, wavy-leaf water speedwell

Habit Perennials. Annuals or perennials.
Stems

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

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

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.

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

bracts oblong, 4–7 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, 2–5 mm, 4–6 mm in fruit, shorter than subtending bract in flower, eglandular- and, sometimes, glandular-hairy.

patent, 3–5 mm, equal to subtending bract, sparsely 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 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

compressed in cross section, obcordiform, 2.5–3.5 × 4–5.5 mm, wider than long, apex acutely emarginate, glandular-ciliate, otherwise glabrate.

slightly compressed in cross section, obcordiform to globular, 2–3 × 2–3 mm, apex rounded or ± emarginate, sparsely glandular-hairy.

Seeds

50–72, brown, ellipsoid, flat, 0.6–1.1 × 0.4–1 mm, 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

= 14.

= 54 (Asia).

Veronica serpyllifolia

Veronica undulata

Phenology Flowering Apr–Aug. Flowering (Mar–)Apr–Sep.
Habitat River banks, wet places, moist meadows, shady forests. Disturbed, wet places, ditches, or swamps.
Elevation 0–3300 m. (0–10800 ft.) 0–200 m. (0–700 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
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; OR; WA; Asia [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
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.)

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. 312. 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. 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. 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. humifusa, V. serpyllifolia var. decipiens, V. serpyllifolia subsp. humifusa, V. serpyllifolia var. humifusa, V. tenella
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 12. (1753) Wallich: in W. Roxburgh, Fl. Ind. 1: 147. (1820)
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