Veronica teucrioides Boiss. & Heldr.

Rojas-Andrés, Blanca M. & Martínez-Ortega, Montserrat, 2016, Taxonomic revision of Veronica subsection Pentasepalae (Veronica, Plantaginaceae sensu APG III), Phytotaxa 285 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

15. Veronica teucrioides Boiss. & Heldr. in Boissier (1856: 169). ( Fig. 23 )

Stems (1.5) 3–7 (10) cm long, decumbent to ascending, covered by incurvate, ± appressed and antrorse, or crooked eglandular hairs (0.1) 0.2–1.0 mm long, usually arranged in 2 opposite lines along the stem; apical shoot bearing 2– 5 (7) pairs of leaves. Leaves (3.2) 5–15 (16.3) × (1) 2–5 (6.7) mm; the basal ones usually obovate, sometimes suborbicular; the medium ones elliptic to narrowly elliptic; rounded or cuneate at the base, crenate, rarely entire or subentire, revolute or subrevolute, glabrous or subglabrous (bearing short hairs along the margin 0.1–0.6 mm long), rarely puberulent, sessile to shortly petiolate; apical shoot leaves opposite, linear to narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate, crenate, entire or subentire, revolute. Racemes axillary, usually solitary (i.e., each pair of leaves bearing one raceme), sometimes 2 opposite, bearing (2) 5–20 (30) flowers, loosely to densely arranged; peduncles 2–6.3 cm long, covered by the same type of indument as that of the stem, although a bit shorter; bracts (1.5) 2–6 (7) mm long, narrowly elliptic or obovate, entire, usually glabrous, sometimes a few hairs to the base; pedicels (0.8) 1.5–6.8 mm long. Calyx 2.3–4.5 (5.2) mm long; 4–5 sepals, narrowly elliptic, usually shorter than the capsule, glabrous or subglabrous with some eglandular hairs towards the margins. Corolla 8–11 (12.4) mm in diameter, intense blue ( Fischer 1991). Capsule 3–5 (5.7) × 2.8–4.8 mm, usually longer than wide, widely elliptic or obovate, rarely orbicular or suborbicular, rounded or ± truncate at the base, emarginate, sinus up to 0.7 (1.0) mm depth, usually glabrous, rarely puberulent, with a few short eglandular hairs. Style 2.5–6.2 mm long. Seeds 0.9–1.6 × 0.7–1.5 mm, ca. 4–11 (15) per capsule.

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ROJAS-ANDRÉS & MARTÍNEZ-ORTEGA

Chromosome Number: —2 n = 16 (DNA ploidy level = 2 x).

Habitat: —Alpine and subalpine meadows and ± stabilized screes, soil indifferent; 1,100 –2,100 (2,800; Fischer 1991) m.

Distribution: —NW Greece and Republic of Macedonia ( Fig. 24 ).

Phenology: —Flowering from May to July (August).

Notes: —The specimens collected in the Republic of Macedonia can be determined as V. teucrioides . Nevertheless, the genetic affinities of these plants should be further tested.

The specimens of V. teucrioides studied directly in the field for this taxonomic revision were in fruiting state. Thus, information about corolla size and color has been completed after Fischer (1991). Given that it was not possible to fix floral buds for direct chromosome counts, the ploidy level of V. teucrioides given here was estimated by flow cytometry ( Rojas-Andrés et al. 2015).

Specimens Examined: — GREECE. Kozani: Mt. Siniatsikon , 6 km SSE of Vlasti, meadows facing N – NE , 1800–2100 m, 28/ 29 June 1979, L.- A . Gustavsson & R . Franzén 8018 ( C) ; Mt. Siniatsikon , 6 km SSE of Vlasti, rocky limestone outcrops, 1750–1850 m, 28 June 1979, L.- A . Gustavsson & R . Franzén 8068 ( C) ; Mt. Vourinos , rocky-gravelly slopes of the ravine, ESE of the place called "Pigi Tsamia" and below of the chapel Ajios Panteleimon, limestone, scree, 1250–1300 m, 12 May 1980, E . Stamatiadou 21790 ( ATH 45546 ) ; Askio, macizo Askion, monte Siniatsikon, por encima de Námata, roquedo calizo, 1760 m, 40º24'12.0''N, 21º32'14.0''E, 1 July 2007, A . Herrero & al. AH3633 ( SALA149270 ) ; Larisa: Mt. Olimpo , Sparmos, cercanías de la zona militar en la subida al monte Olimpo, prados y rocas calizas en ladera con boj, 1745 m, 40º02'19.4"N, 22º20'01.3"E, 26 June 2009, X. Giráldez , M. M . Martínez Ortega, B. Rojas Andrés & M . Santos Vicente BR48 ( SALA149330 ) ; LarisaPieria: Olympos, Kokkinopoulos, meadow-forest, 1150–1350 m, 30 May 1964, Hans Runemark s.n. ( LD1310001 ) ; Pieria: in latere or. montis Olimbos supra coenoboim Ajios Dhionisios, in ascensu ad refugium princeps (A'), 2000 m, 25 July 1971, W . Greuter 9558 ( ATH22410 ) .

REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA (FYROM). Mavrovo and Rostuša: Mavrovo, Bistra planina, carretera de Mavrovo a Galičnik, prados subalpinos sobre sustrato ácido, 1630 m, 41º38'59.0''N, 20º42'38.7''E, 23 July 2010, S. Andrés , X. Giráldez , M. M. Martínez Ortega & B. Rojas Andrés BR130 (SALA149329).

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Material provisionally assigned to V. teucrioides :— REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA ( FYROM) . Ohrid: Ochrid: in saxis calcareis mt. Petrino supra pag. Peštany , ca. 1600 m., 03 July. Akc.č. 27/1969, Ferd. Weber s.n. ( PR806991 ) ; Ochrid: Montibus Galičica supra Karaul Vojtina , 7 July. Akc. c. 9/1970, Ferd. Weber s.n. ( PR806990 ) .

Figures

FIGURE 23. Veronica teucrioides (Greece, Larisa-Pieria, Mt. Olympus, B. Rojas-Andrés et al. BR48, SALA149330): a. Habit; b. Stem indument; c. Medium leaf (adaxial face); d. Medium leaf (abaxial face); e. Detail of a medium leaf (abaxial face); f. Apical shoot leaf (adaxial face); g. Apical shoot leaf (abaxial face); h. Fruiting raceme; i. Part of a fruiting raceme, with a capsule. Illustration by Juan Castillo.

FIGURE 24. Distribution map of V. teucrioides based on herbarium specimens (black circles) and collected material (open circles).