Veronica americana
 
American Speedwell

Lower Leaf Bottom

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

Note the presence of a short petiole.

Note that the key to the families in Budd's Flora requires that the plant not be aquatic.  In fact, this species often grows in water.  The rest of the answers to the key questions appear below.

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Americana: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species. 
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plants of moist habitats; NOT [plants of dry habitats]

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perennials; NOT [annuals]

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stems essentially glabrous; NOT [stems hirsute, with 2 opposite rows of curled white hair]

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leaves all with short stalks; NOT [leaves of flowering shoots without stalks]

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leaves ovate to oblong; NOT [leaves linear to lanceolate]

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flowers in axillary racemes; NOT [flowers in terminal racemes], NOT [flowers solitary in the leaf-axils]

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

 

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Veronica: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 
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leaves NOT all basal

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cauline leaves opposite; NOT [cauline leaves alternate]

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sepal lobes 4; NOT [sepal lobes 5]

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petals present; NOT [petals absent]

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corolla rotate; NOT [corolla short-tubular]

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corolla NOT spurred at the base

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petal lobes 4; NOT [petal lobes 5]

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two anther-bearing stamens and no sterile stamen

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stamens NOT protruding

 

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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.
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herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

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

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stems NOT square

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leaves NOT bearing bladders

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

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corolla irregular; NOT [corolla regular]

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ovary superior; NOT [ovary inferior]

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