Veronica verna |
Veronica spicata |
|
---|---|---|
speedwell, spring speedwell |
spike speedwell, véronique en épi |
|
Habit | Annuals. | Perennials. |
Stems | erect or ascending, (1–)3–15(–20) cm, at least distally glandular- and eglandular-hairy. |
ascending, usually with 4–10 nodes, 5–45(–60) cm, proximally eglandular- or glandular-hairy, sometimes glabrous, distally eglandular- and, usually, 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 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 | 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(–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 | erect, (0.4–)1–3 mm, shorter than subtending bract, length 1/3–1/2 times calyx, eglandular- and glandular-hairy. |
suberect to patent, 0.5–1(–2) mm, shorter than subtending bract, eglandular- and 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, 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 | compressed in cross section, obcordiform, 2.5–3.5 × 3.5–5 mm, apex emarginate, eglandular-hairy. |
± compressed in cross section, broadly ovoid, 2–3 × 2–3 mm, apex obtuse, densely glandular-puberulent. |
Seeds | 8–20(–26), yellowish, ellipsoid, flat, 0.9–1.6 × 0.6–1.3 mm, 0.2 mm thick, smooth to ± rugulose. |
3–40, light brown, ellipsoid, flat, 0.6–1.2 × 0.5–0.8 mm, 0.2–0.4 mm thick, smooth. |
2n | = 16 (Eurasia). |
= 34, 68 (Europe). |
Veronica verna |
Veronica spicata |
|
Phenology | Flowering (Mar–)Apr–Jun(–Aug). | Flowering Jun–Sep. |
Habitat | Open pine and oak forests, rocky and sandy steppes, pastures, meadows. | Dry grasslands. |
Elevation | 300–2600 m. (1000–8500 ft.) | 0–700 m. (0–2300 ft.) |
Distribution |
ID; IN; MA; MI; MN; MT; NY; OR; WA; WI; WY; BC; NB; NS; ON; PE; Eurasia [Introduced in North America]
|
CT; NH; NY; ON; QC; Eurasia [Introduced in North America] |
Discussion | Specimens of Veronica verna from Alberta have not been verified. (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. 317. | FNA vol. 17, p. 308. |
Parent taxa | Plantaginaceae > Veronica | Plantaginaceae > Veronica |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 14. (1753) | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 10. (1753) |
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