Veronica serpyllifolia
 
Thyme-Leaved Speedwell

Middle Leaves Bottom

Centre Block, Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
10-July-2011

bullet

Serpyllifolia: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species. 
bullet

perennials; NOT [annuals]

bullet

lower leaves short-petiolate; NOT [leaves all sessile]

bullet

leaves mostly less than 5 cm long; NOT [leaves 5-15 cm long]

bullet

leaves entire or obscurely toothed; NOT [leaves conspicuously serrate]

bullet

flowers in terminal racemes; NOT [flowers in axillary racemes], NOT [flowers solitary in axils of leaves]

bullet

racemes not well-defined, loose; NOT [racemes well-defined, dense]

bullet

calyx 4-lobed; NOT [calyx 5-lobed, with the upper 2 long and the lower 3 short]

bullet

capsule wider than long; NOT [capsule longer than wide]

bullet

capsule deeply notched; NOT [capsule barely notched]

 

bullet

Veronica: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 
bullet

leaves NOT all basal

bullet

cauline leaves opposite; NOT [cauline leaves alternate]

bullet

sepal lobes 4; NOT [sepal lobes 5]

bullet

petals present; NOT [petals absent]

bullet

corolla rotate; NOT [corolla short-tubular]

bullet

corolla NOT spurred at the base

bullet

petal lobes 4; NOT [petal lobes 5]

bullet

two anther-bearing stamens and no sterile stamen

bullet

stamens NOT protruding

 

bullet

Scrophulariaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  leading to this family. Not all the answers apply to all members of this family, but all do apply to this species.
bullet

herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

bullet

plants NOT aquatic

bullet

plants green or with some chlorophyll; NOT [plants parasitic or saprophytic, without chlorophyll]

bullet

stems NOT square

bullet

leaves NOT bearing bladders

bullet

flowers NOT in heads or spikes; NOT [flowers in long or short spikes], NOT [flowers in heads or in form resembling a head]

bullet

corolla irregular; NOT [corolla regular]

bullet

ovary superior; NOT [ovary inferior]

bullet

fruit a many-seeded capsule; NOT [fruit with 4 nutlets]