Veronica triphyllos L.
fingered speedwell
Erect annual, usually much-branched and spreading from near base, rarely not branched; stems densely glandular-hairy, ascending to c. 15 cm. Lvs sessile or subsessile, to c. 8 × 6 mm, digitately (3)-5-(7)-lobed, hairy; lobes ± oblong; base cuneate; apex rounded. Infl. a long terminal raceme with fls extending almost to base of plant, densely glandular-hairy; pedicels 3-15 mm long, usually much > bracts. Upper bracts usually 3-lobed, smaller and narrower than lvs. Calyx 3-5 mm long; lobes oblong or oblong-elliptic, glandular-hairy, obtuse. Corolla 3- c. 4.5 mm diam., blue. Capsule 4-5 mm wide; lobes rounded and glandular-hairy towards apex; nerves raised. Seeds broad-ellipsoid, strongly compressed and cup-shaped.
S.: apparently confined to C. Otago, first collected in Alexandra in 1943 and is still commonest thereabouts.
Europe, W. Asia, N. Africa 1946
Waste places, poor open pastures, arable land.
FL Sep-Nov.
Fingered speedwell is most clearly distinguished from all other Veronica spp. in N.Z. except V. hederifolia by the remarkable cup-shaped seeds. From V. hederifolia it is very distinct in habit, lf shape, calyx lobe shape and capsule hairiness.
