Veronica verna |
Veronica cusickii |
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speedwell, spring speedwell |
Cusick's speedwell |
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Habit | Annuals. | Perennials. |
Stems | erect or ascending, (1–)3–15(–20) cm, at least distally glandular- and eglandular-hairy. |
erect, unbranched or sparsely branched at base, (5–)10–15(–30) cm, finely glandular-hairy. |
Leaves | blade lanceolate to ovate, (4–)6–13 × (2.5–)4–10 mm, 1.3–1.6 times as long as wide, base cuneate, proximal margins coarsely crenate-serrate, distal pinnatifid to subpalmatifid, lobes 3–7, central largest, lateral linear to lanceolate, apex of central lobe obtuse, lateral ± acute, surfaces sparsely glandular-hairy. |
blade elliptic-ovate, (5–)10–25 × 5–10 mm, base cuneate, margins entire or subentire, apex short-acuminate, surfaces glabrous or glabrate. |
Racemes | 1–3, terminal and axillary, 20–80 mm, (5–)15–40(–60)-flowered, axis eglandular- and glandular-hairy; bracts proximalmost often 3-fid, others linear-lanceolate, 3–5(–8) mm. |
1, terminal, (15–)40–80(–130) mm, (4–)8–30(–40)-flowered, axis finely glandular-hairy; bracts lanceolate, 3–7(–11) mm. |
Pedicels | erect, (0.4–)1–3 mm, shorter than subtending bract, length 1/3–1/2 times calyx, eglandular- and glandular-hairy. |
erect, 3–9 mm, equal to or ± longer than subtending bract, finely glandular-hairy. |
Flowers | calyx lobes (2–)3–5(–7) mm, apex acute, eglandular- and glandular-hairy; corolla sky to pale blue, 1.5–3 mm diam.; stamens 0.2–0.6 mm; style 0.2–0.6 mm, stigma white. |
calyx lobes 2–3 mm, apex acute to obtuse, finely glandular-hairy; corolla deep blue-violet, rarely white, rotate, (8–)10–13 mm diam.; stamens 4–8 mm; style (5–)6–9(–10) mm, conspicuously exerted. |
Capsules | compressed in cross section, obcordiform, 2.5–3.5 × 3.5–5 mm, apex emarginate, eglandular-hairy. |
compressed in cross section, oblong-obovoid, 4–6 × 3.5–5.5 mm, ca. as long as wide, apex emarginate, finely glandular-hairy. |
Seeds | 8–20(–26), yellowish, ellipsoid, flat, 0.9–1.6 × 0.6–1.3 mm, 0.2 mm thick, smooth to ± rugulose. |
28–32, straw colored or dark brown, ovoid, flat, 0.6 × 0.4 mm, 0.1 mm thick, rough. |
2n | = 16 (Eurasia). |
= 18, 72. |
Veronica verna |
Veronica cusickii |
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Phenology | Flowering (Mar–)Apr–Jun(–Aug). | Flowering Jun–Aug. |
Habitat | Open pine and oak forests, rocky and sandy steppes, pastures, meadows. | Gravelly soils, openings in coniferous forests and in subalpine and alpine meadows. |
Elevation | 300–2600 m. (1000–8500 ft.) | 1500–3200 m. (4900–10500 ft.) |
Distribution |
ID; IN; MA; MI; MN; MT; NY; OR; WA; WI; WY; BC; NB; NS; ON; PE; Eurasia [Introduced in North America]
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CA; ID; MT; OR; WA; BC
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Discussion | Specimens of Veronica verna from Alberta have not been verified. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Veronica cusickii is sister to V. copelandii and closely related to V. wormskjoldii subsp. nutans (D. C. Albach et al. 2006). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 17, p. 317. | FNA vol. 17, p. 310. |
Parent taxa | Plantaginaceae > Veronica | Plantaginaceae > Veronica |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | V. allenii | |
Name authority | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 14. (1753) | A. Gray: in A. Gray et al., Syn. Fl. N. Amer. 2(1): 288. (1878) |
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