Veronica serpyllifolia ssp. humifusa (Dickson) Syme
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TAXONOMY
 
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Veronica
 
Species Synonyms: Veronica humifusa Dickson
Veronica serpyllifolia var. borealis Laestad.
Veronica serpyllifolia var. humifusa (Dickson) Vahl
Veronica tenella All.
Veronicastrum serpyllifolium ssp. humifusum (Dickson) W.A. Weber
Common Names: brightblue speedwell
thyme-leaved speedwell
 
DISTRIBUTION
 
Canada: British Columbia – Alberta – southwestern Saskatchewan, Ontario – Quebec – Labrador – Newfoundland – Nova Scotia
Saskatchewan: southwestern Saskatchewan; Cypress Hills
Ecoregion: Cypress Upland
 
HABITAT
 
Saskatchewan: open woods and clearings
 
RARITY STATUS
 
Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):
Threatened
Nature Conservancy Status:
G5 S1
Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:
None
COSEWIC Status:
None
 
Veronica serpyllifolia ssp. humifusa is threatened because it is rare and regionally restricted to the southwestern corner of the province. No immediate threats are known but may occur in the future.
 
SPECIES DESCRIPTION
 
Height: 5 – 30 cm
Roots: rhizomes present
Stems: ascending, often decumbent at the base, simple or short-branched below, hairs spreading or glabrous
Leaves: cauline, opposite, subsessile or petiole short, 1 – 2 cm long, 8 – 15 mm wide, elliptic to broadly ovate, margin crenate to entire
Inflorescence: raceme terminal, distinct, 2.5 – 12 cm long, glandular-pubescent; bracts lanceolate; pedicels 2.5 – 5 mm long
Flowers: calyx 4-lobed, lobes ovate or oblong, puberulent; corolla 3 – 4 mm long, blue, tube pubescent within; stamens 2; stigma solitary, capitate
Fruits: capsule notched, glandular-pubescent; seeds pale brown, numerous, flat
 
VERONICA KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN
 
1 Flowers solitary in the leaf-axils
2
1 Flowers in axillary or terminal racemes
3
 
2 Pedicels shorter than calyx; calyx linear to lanceolate
V. peregrina ssp. xalapensis
2 Pedicels longer than calyx; calyx broadly lanceolate to ovate
V. persica
 
3 Racemes terminal; annuals with thin roots
V. serpyllifolia ssp. humifusa
3 Racemes axillary; plants perennial, usually rhizomatous
4
 
4 Leaves short-petiolate
V. americana
4 Leaves sessile
5
   
5 Leaves lanceolate, 1.5 – 3 times longer than wide, clasping; racemes more than 30-flowered
V. anagallis-aquatica
5 Leaves linear, 3 – 5 times longer than wide, not clasping; racemes less than 25-flowered
V. scutellata