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speedwell, spring speedwell

common gypsyweed, common speedwell, heath speedwell, herbal speedwell, Paul's betony, véronique officinale

Habit Annuals. Perennials.
Stems

erect or ascending, (1–)3–15(–20) cm, at least distally glandular- and eglandular-hairy.

creeping, decumbent to ascending distally, 10–40(–50) cm, densely eglandular-hairy, rarely glabrate or glabrous.

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 ovate, ovate-oblong, or obovate, (8–)20–35(–50) × (3–)10–20(–30) mm, 1.5–2 times as long as wide, base attenuate to cuneate or obtuse, margins dentate, denticulate, or serrulate, apex obtuse to rounded, surfaces sparsely to densely eglandular-hairy, rarely 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.

1–4(–8), axillary, 40–60 mm, 10–35(–40)-flowered, axis densely to sparsely eglandular-hairy, sometimes also glandular-hairy, rarely glabrate;

bracts linear-lanceolate or narrowly ovate, (1.5–)3–4(–5) mm.

Pedicels

erect, (0.4–)1–3 mm, shorter than subtending bract, length 1/3–1/2 times calyx, eglandular- and glandular-hairy.

erect, (0.5–)1–2(–3) mm, shorter than subtending bract, densely eglandular-hairy, rarely glandular-hairy or glabrate.

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 4(or 5)-lobed, lobes 2–3.5(–4) mm, apex obtuse, glandular- and eglandular-hairy;

corolla pale blue-lilac to pale pink, rarely white with pink veins, 6–8 mm diam.;

stamens 2.8–3.4 mm;

style 2.5–3(–4) mm.

Capsules

compressed in cross section, obcordiform, 2.5–3.5 × 3.5–5 mm, apex emarginate, eglandular-hairy.

compressed in cross section, triangulate-obdeltoid to obcordiform, 3–5 × 4–5 mm, apex rounded or truncate, rarely emarginate, glandular-hairy, rarely glabrous.

Seeds

8–20(–26), yellowish, ellipsoid, flat, 0.9–1.6 × 0.6–1.3 mm, 0.2 mm thick, smooth to ± rugulose.

9–24, brown to yellow, ellipsoid, ovoid, or obovoid, flat, 0.8–1.6 × (0.3–)0.6–1.2 mm, 0.2–0.3 mm thick, smooth.

2n

= 16 (Eurasia).

= 18, 36 (Europe).

Veronica verna

Veronica officinalis

Phenology Flowering (Mar–)Apr–Jun(–Aug). Flowering (Apr–)Jun–Jul(–Aug).
Habitat Open pine and oak forests, rocky and sandy steppes, pastures, meadows. Forests, meadows, pastures, scrub, ruderal places.
Elevation 300–2600 m. (1000–8500 ft.) 0–1600 m. (0–5200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; IN; MA; MI; MN; MT; NY; OR; WA; WI; WY; BC; NB; NS; ON; PE; Eurasia [Introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; CT; DC; DE; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MT; NC; ND; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; BC; NB; NF; NS; ON; PE; QC; SPM; Greenland; Eurasia [Introduced in North America; introduced in s South America (Chile)]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Specimens of Veronica verna from Alberta have not been verified.

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

Veronica ×tournefortii Villars [V. officinalis var. tournefortii (Villars) Dumortier] refers to the hybrid between V. officinalis and V. allionii Villars in Europe and is not applicable to any North American plant.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 317. FNA vol. 17, p. 311.
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. undulata, 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. peregrina, V. persica, V. polita, 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) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 11. (1753)
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