Veronica spicata |
Veronica hederifolia |
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spike speedwell, véronique en épi |
ivy speedwell, ivy-leaf speedwell |
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Habit | Perennials. | Annuals. |
Stems | ascending, usually with 4–10 nodes, 5–45(–60) cm, proximally eglandular- or glandular-hairy, sometimes glabrous, distally eglandular- and, usually, glandular-hairy. |
decumbent to ascending, 5–40(–50) cm, eglandular-hairy. |
Leaves | blade ovate-oblong to narrowly oblong-lanceolate, (30–)40–70(–80) × 5–20 mm, base long-cuneate, margins shallowly crenate to shallowly serrate to subentire, apex obtuse to rounded, surfaces densely glandular- or eglandular-hairy, rarely glabrate. |
blade suborbiculate, (3–)5-lobed, central lobe usually overtopping lateral ones, (5–)7–15(–20) × 8–16(–25) mm, base truncate, margins (3–)5-lobed, apex acute, surfaces sparsely eglandular-hairy. |
Racemes | 1(–7), terminal, sometimes with lateral ones, (50–)70–130(–170) mm, (50–)100–300-flowered, axis eglandular- and glandular-hairy; bracts oblong to lanceolate, 3–5 mm. |
1–10, terminal, 50–400(–500) mm, 5–20-flowered, axis eglandular-hairy; bracts suborbiculate, (3–)5-lobed, central lobe usually overtopping lateral ones, (5–)7–15(–20) mm. |
Pedicels | suberect to patent, 0.5–1(–2) mm, shorter than subtending bract, eglandular- and glandular-hairy. |
patent or deflexed, (5–)9–15(–20) mm, equal to or ± shorter than subtending bract, length 2–3 times calyx, eglandular-hairy (in single line adaxially). |
Flowers | calyx lobes 2–3 mm, ciliate, apex obtuse, glandular-hairy, rarely eglandular-hairy; corolla blue, campanulate, longer than wide, 5–6 mm diam., lobes 3–4.5 × 1.5–2 mm; stamens 5 mm; style 8 mm. |
calyx lobes 5–6(–7) mm, apex acute, abaxial surface usually glabrous, ciliate with 25–35 hairs per side; corolla bright blue with bright white center, 5–7(–9) mm diam.; stamens sky blue, 0.7–1.2 mm; style (0.6–)0.7–0.9(–1.1) mm. |
Capsules | ± compressed in cross section, broadly ovoid, 2–3 × 2–3 mm, apex obtuse, densely glandular-puberulent. |
± round in cross section, ovoid, 3–4 × 4.5–6 mm, apex ± emarginate, glabrate. |
Seeds | 3–40, light brown, ellipsoid, flat, 0.6–1.2 × 0.5–0.8 mm, 0.2–0.4 mm thick, smooth. |
1–4, bright yellow, ellipsoid to subglobular, urn-shaped, 2.3–3.3 × 2–3 mm, 1–2.2 mm thick, weakly cristate or rugose, ± smooth. |
2n | = 34, 68 (Europe). |
= 54 (Eurasia). |
Veronica spicata |
Veronica hederifolia |
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Phenology | Flowering Jun–Sep. | Flowering (Feb–)Mar–Jun. |
Habitat | Dry grasslands. | Fields, lawns, gardens, ruderal places, vineyards, open forests, shady rocky places, dunes. |
Elevation | 0–700 m. (0–2300 ft.) | 0–2000 m. (0–6600 ft.) |
Distribution |
CT; NH; NY; ON; QC; Eurasia [Introduced in North America] |
AL; AR; CA; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MD; MI; MO; NC; NE; NJ; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; SC; SD; TN; UT; VA; WA; WV; BC; ON; Eurasia [Introduced in North America]
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Discussion | Veronica spicata is widely distributed in horticulture and a multitude of cultivars is available. Some specimens may also be derived from a related species, V. barrelieri Schott ex Roemer & Schultes, differentiated from V. spicata by glabrous calyx lobes, and in its typical variety, by eglandular pubescence. Another closely related species, V. incana Linnaeus, has a dense white woolly indumentum and is native to northern Asia and eastern Europe; it has not escaped from cultivation in the flora area. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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Source | FNA vol. 17, p. 308. | FNA vol. 17, p. 315. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 10. (1753) | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 13. (1753) — (as hederaefolia) |
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