Veronica spicata

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 1: 10. 1753.

Common names: Spiked speedwell véronique en épi
Introduced
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 17. Treatment on page 308. Mentioned on page 305, 306, 309.

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.

Distribution

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

None.
... more about "Veronica spicata"
glandular-puberulent +, eglandular-hairy +  and glandular-hairy +
obtuse +  and rounded +
Dirk C. Albach +
Linnaeus +
glandular-hairy +
alternate +, opposite +, whorled +, helical +  and subopposite +
long-cuneate +
7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br /> (8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br />) +
4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br /> (7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br />) +
ovate-oblong;narrowly oblong-lanceolate +
not leathery +  and not fleshy +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
oblong;lanceolate +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
rotate +  and campanulate +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
ovoid +  and compressed +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
darker +, reddish +  and lighter +
Spiked speedwell +  and véronique en épi +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
longer than wide +
campanulate +
Ont. +, Que. +, Conn. +, N.H. +, N.Y. +  and Eurasia +
drupe-like +
0–700 m. +
curved +  and straight +
1 +  and 4 +
Dry grasslands. +
axillary +  and terminal +
alternate +  and opposite +
persistent +  and deciduous +
linear;suborbiculate or triangular-cordate +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
serrate +, dentate +  and entire +
shallowly crenate +  and shallowly serrate +
4 +  and 10 +
axile +  and parietal +
basal +, apical +  and superior +
tenuinucellate +, unitegmic +  and hemitropous +
campylotropous +, hemianatropous +  and anatropous +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
suberect +  and patent +
glandular-hairy +
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br />) +
5 +  and 4 +
Flowering Jun–Sep. +
(50-)100-300-flowered +
13 cm130 mm <br />0.13 m <br /> (17 cm170 mm <br />0.17 m <br />) +
7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br /> (13 cm130 mm <br />0.13 m <br />) +
minute +
light-brown +
ellipsoid +
0.2mm +  and 0.4mm +
Introduced +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (?) +
45 cm450 mm <br />0.45 m <br /> (60 cm600 mm <br />0.6 m <br />) +
climbing +  and scrambling +
sprawling +, creeping +  and prostrate +
glandular-hairy +  and glabrous +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (45 cm450 mm <br />0.45 m <br />) +
pointed +  and capitate +
8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br /> (?) +
glabrate +, eglandular-hairy +  and glandular +
Veronica spicata +
Veronica +
species +
gibbous +  and not spurred +
annual +, biennial +  and perennial +
subshrub +  and herb +