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finger speedwell, fingered speedwell

gray field speedwell, gray speedwell

Habit Annuals, sometimes biennials. Annuals.
Stems

erect or ascending, often blue tinged, (3–)5–15(–20) cm, densely hairy.

creeping to decumbent, 5–20(–40) cm, eglandular-hairy.

Leaves

blade: proximal ovate to triangular, 5–7 × 3–6 mm, distal 8–18 × 8–18 mm, base rounded, margins (proximal) coarsely crenate or (distal) 3–5(–7)-palmatifid, apex obtuse, surfaces sparsely hairy, often glandular.

blade suborbiculate to ovate, rarely oblong-ovate, (3–)6–11(–14) × (3–)4–9(–10) mm, base truncate, margins serrate to dentate, teeth 2–4 per side, apices usually rounded, apex acute to obtuse, abaxial surface densely hairy, adaxial sparsely hairy to glabrate.

Racemes

1, terminal, sometimes also 1 or 2 axillary, 30–120(–150) mm, 6–15(–25)-flowered, axis densely eglandular- and glandular-hairy;

proximal bracts 5-palmatifid, distal 3-fid, 4–18 mm.

1–4, terminal, 50–200(–400) mm, 5–20-flowered, axis sparsely to densely hairy or glabrate;

bracts suborbiculate to ovate, (3–)6–11(–14) mm.

Pedicels

patent or arcuate-ascending, 4–11(–20) mm, ± equal to subtending bract, length 1–2 times calyx, densely hairy.

usually semicircularly recurved, (3–)6–13(–15) mm, 0.5–1.5 times subtending bract, densely eglandular-hairy.

Flowers

calyx lobes 4–6(–11) mm, apex obtuse, glandular-hairy;

corolla deep blue, 5–10 mm diam.;

stamens 0.9–1.7 mm;

style (0.5–)0.7–1.5(–2) mm.

calyx lobes broadly ovate, (3–)4–6(–7) mm, 2.6–3.8 mm wide, apex acute, eglandular-hairy, rarely glandular-hairy;

corolla intense dark to bright blue, rarely pale lilac or white, with darker nerves, abaxial 1/2 often brighter to whitish, (3–)4–7(–8) mm diam.;

stamens 0.5 mm;

style (0.5–)1–1.6(–1.8) mm.

Capsules

± inflated basally, compressed distally in cross section, obcordiform, 4–5(–10) × 4.5–6.5(–8) mm, apex emarginate, glandular-hairy.

± round in cross section, obcordiform, (2.5–)3–4(–4.5) × (3.5–)4–6(–6.3) mm, apex emarginate, sinus angle 20–60(–80)°, densely eglandular-hairy, sometimes also glandular-puberulent, rarely glabrous.

Seeds

14–22(–35), dark brown or blackish, subglobular, cymbiform, 1–2.2 × 0.7–2 mm, 0.4–0.9 mm thick, ± rugulose to cristate.

(7–)16–24(–30), pale yellow, ellipsoid to ovoid, deeply cymbiform, 0.9–1.6 × (0.5–)0.8–1.3 mm, 0.4–0.8 mm thick, rugose-cristate.

2n

= 14 (Eurasia).

= 14 (Eurasia).

Veronica triphyllos

Veronica polita

Phenology Flowering (Feb–)Mar–May(–Jul). Flowering (Feb–)Mar–Jun(–Jul).
Habitat Pine forests, stony pastures, rocky banks, sandy fields, gardens, roadsides, rarely calcareous soils. Fields, ruderal places, calcareous soils, lawns.
Elevation 100–1000 m. (300–3300 ft.) 0–600 m. (0–2000 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID; KS; MO; OK; OR; WA; Eurasia [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; AR; AZ; CO; CT; DC; FL; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MO; NC; NE; NY; OH; OK; PA; TN; TX; VA; WI; WV; MB; NB; ON; Eurasia; nw Africa (Algeria, Morocco) [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Mexico, s South America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Plants of Veronica polita are similar to those of the more frequent V. persica and are probably frequently overlooked.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 315. FNA vol. 17, p. 319.
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. serpyllifolia, V. spicata, V. stelleri, V. sublobata, V. teucrium, V. triloba, 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. scutellata, V. serpyllifolia, V. spicata, V. stelleri, V. sublobata, V. teucrium, V. triloba, V. triphyllos, V. undulata, V. verna, V. wormskjoldii
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 14. (1753) Fries: Novit. Fl. Svec., 63. (1819)
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