Veronica spicata
Veronica longifolia
spike speedwell, véronique en épi
long-leaf speedwell, véronique à longues feuilles
ascending, usually with 4–10 nodes, 5–45(–60) cm, proximally eglandular- or glandular-hairy, sometimes glabrous, distally eglandular- and, usually, glandular-hairy.
erect, usually with 10–20 nodes, (50–)70–120(–150) cm, proximal 1/2 glabrous, distal 1/2 eglandular-hairy with some glandular hairs intermixed.
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 narrowly ovate-lanceolate, almost linear, or narrowly ovate, (60–)80–120(–150) × 10–30(–35) mm, base cuneate, truncate, or cordate, margins serrate to biserrate, apex acute, surfaces sparsely or densely eglandular-hairy, rarely glabrous.
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.
1–7(–9), terminal and occasionally axillary, 100–200(–300) mm, 150–300-flowered, axis eglandular- and glandular-hairy;
bracts linear to subulate, 2–6 mm.
suberect to patent, 0.5–1(–2) mm, shorter than subtending bract, eglandular- and glandular-hairy.
erect, (1–)1.5–3(–5) mm, shorter than subtending bract, densely eglandular-hairy, sometimes also glandular-hairy.
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 2–2.5(–4) mm, apex acute, eglandular-hairy, sometimes glandular-hairy;
corolla blue, campanulate, longer than wide, 5–7 mm diam.;
stamens 5–6 mm;
style (5–)6–8(–10) mm.
± compressed in cross section, broadly ovoid, 2–3 × 2–3 mm, apex obtuse, densely glandular-puberulent.
± compressed in cross section, ovoid, 2.5–3 × 2.5–3 mm, apex emarginate, glabrous.
3–40, light brown, ellipsoid, flat, 0.6–1.2 × 0.5–0.8 mm, 0.2–0.4 mm thick, smooth.
2–40, light brown, ellipsoid, flat, 0.7–1.2 × 0.5–0.8 mm, 0.2–0.3 mm thick, smooth.
= 34, 68 (Europe).
= 34, 68 (Eurasia).
Veronica spicata
Veronica longifolia
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.)
Reports of Veronica bachofenii Heuffel, V. grandis Fischer ex Sprengel (= V. daurica Steven), or V. spuria Linnaeus, seem always to refer to garden varieties of V. longifolia. Garden varieties often differ from typical plants in having glandular hairs and broader leaves, which may indicate past hybridization with other species.
Subgenus Pseudolysimachium includes Veronica longifolia and V. spicata, which are naturalized in the flora area, but also other species and hybrids of these, which are commonly grown ornamentally and may escape from cultivation. All of these plants should easily key out with V. longifolia and V. spicata but differ in specifics of the species descriptions.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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