Veronica spicata

Perennials. Stems 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 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 (–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 suberect to patent, 0.5–1 (–2) mm, shorter than subtending bract, eglandular and glandular-hairy. Flowers: 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, broadly ovoid, 2–3 × 2–3 mm, apex obtuse, densely glandular-puberulent. Seeds 3–40, light-brown, ellipsoid, flat, 0.6–1.2 × 0.5–0.8 mm, 0.2–0.4 mm thick, smooth. 2n = 34, 68 (Europe).

Phenology: Flowering Jun–Sep.
Habitat: Dry grasslands.
Elevation: 0–700 m.

Introduced; Ont., Que., Conn., N.H., N.Y., Eurasia

Discussion

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.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa