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undulate speedwell, wavy-leaf water speedwell

spike speedwell, véronique en épi

Habit Annuals or perennials. Perennials.
Stems

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

ascending, usually with 4–10 nodes, 5–45(–60) cm, proximally eglandular- or glandular-hairy, sometimes glabrous, distally eglandular- and, usually, glandular-hairy.

Leaves

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.

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.

Racemes

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.

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.

Pedicels

patent, 3–5 mm, equal to subtending bract, sparsely glandular-hairy.

suberect to patent, 0.5–1(–2) mm, shorter than subtending bract, eglandular- and glandular-hairy.

Flowers

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.

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.

Capsules

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

± compressed in cross section, broadly ovoid, 2–3 × 2–3 mm, apex obtuse, densely glandular-puberulent.

Seeds

30–40, ochre, broadly ellipsoid, ± flat, convex on both sides, 0.5–0.6 × 0.4–0.5 mm, thickness and texture unknown.

3–40, light brown, ellipsoid, flat, 0.6–1.2 × 0.5–0.8 mm, 0.2–0.4 mm thick, smooth.

2n

= 54 (Asia).

= 34, 68 (Europe).

Veronica undulata

Veronica spicata

Phenology Flowering (Mar–)Apr–Sep. Flowering Jun–Sep.
Habitat Disturbed, wet places, ditches, or swamps. Dry grasslands.
Elevation 0–200 m. (0–700 ft.) 0–700 m. (0–2300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; OR; WA; Asia [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CT; NH; NY; ON; QC; Eurasia [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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.)

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.)

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 314. FNA vol. 17, p. 308.
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. triphyllos, 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. stelleri, V. sublobata, V. teucrium, V. triloba, V. triphyllos, V. undulata, V. verna, V. wormskjoldii
Name authority Wallich: in W. Roxburgh, Fl. Ind. 1: 147. (1820) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 10. (1753)
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