Veronica triphyllos |
Veronica polita |
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finger speedwell, fingered speedwell |
gray field speedwell, gray speedwell |
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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 |
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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 |
CA; ID; KS; MO; OK; OR; WA; Eurasia [Introduced in North America] |
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]
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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.) |
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Source | FNA vol. 17, p. 315. | FNA vol. 17, p. 319. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 14. (1753) | Fries: Novit. Fl. Svec., 63. (1819) |
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