Veronica polita
Novit. Fl. Svec., 63. 1819.
Annuals. Stems creeping to decumbent, 5–20 (–40) cm, eglandular-hairy. Leaves: blade suborbiculate to ovate, rarely oblong-ovate, (3–) 6–11 (–14) × (3–) 4–9 (–10) mm, base truncate, margins serrate to dentate, teeth 2–4 per side, apices usually rounded, apex acute to obtuse, abaxial surface densely hairy, adaxial sparsely hairy to glabrate. Racemes 1–4, terminal, 50–200 (–400) mm, 5–20-flowered, axis sparsely to densely hairy or glabrate; bracts suborbiculate to ovate, (3–) 6–11 (–14) mm. Pedicels usually semicircularly recurved, (3–) 6–13 (–15) mm, 0.5–1.5 times subtending bract, densely eglandular-hairy. Flowers: calyx lobes broadly ovate, (3–) 4–6 (–7) mm, 2.6–3.8 mm wide, apex acute, eglandular-hairy, rarely glandular-hairy; corolla intense dark to bright blue, rarely pale lilac or white, with darker nerves, abaxial 1/2 often brighter to whitish, (3–) 4–7 (–8) mm diam.; stamens 0.5 mm; style (0.5–) 1–1.6 (–1.8) mm. Capsules ± round in cross-section, obcordiform, (2.5–) 3–4 (–4.5) × (3.5–) 4–6 (–6.3) mm, apex emarginate, sinus angle 20–60 (–80) °, densely eglandular-hairy, sometimes also glandular-puberulent, rarely glabrous. Seeds (7–) 16–24 (–30), pale-yellow, ellipsoid to ovoid, deeply cymbiform, 0.9–1.6 × (0.5–) 0.8–1.3 mm, 0.4–0.8 mm thick, rugose-cristate. 2n = 14 (Eurasia).
Phenology: Flowering (Feb–)Mar–Jun(–Jul).
Habitat: Fields, ruderal places, calcareous soils, lawns.
Elevation: 0–600 m.
Distribution
Introduced; Man., N.B., Ont., Ala., Ariz., Ark., Colo., Conn., D.C., Fla., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Mo., Nebr., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., Tenn., Tex., Va., W.Va., Wis., Eurasia, nw Africa (Algeria), nw Africa (Morocco), also in Mexico, s South America
Discussion
Plants of Veronica polita are similar to those of the more frequent V. persica and are probably frequently overlooked.
Selected References
None.