Scrophulariaceae

V. orientalis Miller, Gard. Dict. ed. 8, no. 10 (1768). Syn: V, anisophylla C.Koch in Linnaea 17:287(1843); V. noëana Boiss., Diagn. ser. 2(3): 168 (1856); V. multifida L. subsp. orientalis (Miller) Elenevsky in Byull. Mosk. Obshch. Isp. Prirod., Biol. 82(1): 155 (1977). Ic: Boul., FI. Lib. Syr.: t. 316 f. 1 (1930); Feddes Rep. 79: t. 6 f. 16, t. 7 f. 19 (1935) (latter as V. anisophylla).
Perennial, 7-45 cm, woody at base to suffruticose, usually strongly branched at base, stems suberect, ascending, decumbent or shortly repent, puberulent or pubescent with 0.05-0.5(-0.7) mm eglandular hairs, rarely glabrous. Leaves sub-sessile, 6-40 x 1-13 mm, apex acute to rounded, base usually ± cuneate, puberulent or shortly pubescent with 0.05-0.4 mm eglandular hairs or glabrous; lower leaves lanceolate, elliptic, broadly lanceolate-ovate or suborbicular, margin flat or slightly revolute, coarsely (sometimes irregularly or deeply) ± remotely serrate, rarely crenate or subentire, with 2-6(-8) teeth per side; upper leaves narrower, linear or linear-lanceolate, margin distinctly revolute, entire. Axils of leaves often with linear-leaved initials of lateral branches. Racemes l-6(-8), ± opposite, 3-10(-14) cm, 10-50(-60)-flowered. axis and pedicels puberulent or pubescent with always eglandular hairs, peduncle 2-5(-7) cm. Pedicels 2-9 mm, 0.4-2 x bracts. Calyx 2-4(-6) mm, lobes 4-5, linear to oblong-lanceolate, pubescent, puberulent or glabrous. Corolla blue, pink or white, 7-12(-l6) mm diam. Style 2.5-5(-6) mm. Capsule obcordate, 2.5-4x4-6 mm, subequalling calyx, puberulent or glabrous, with rather shallow sinus, base ± cuneate. Seeds c. 2-10, ovate to suborbicular, c. 1-2.5 x 1-1.5 mm, convex, rugose. Fl. 4-7. Forests, scrub, steppe, pastures, meadows, calcareous and igneous slopes and scree, fallow fields, yards, castle ruins and wet places, 850-3050 m.
1. Hairs of stem, leaves and racemes retrorse to curved downwards, 0.05-0.2 mm; leaves densely pubescent, ± greyish subsp. carduchorum
1. Hairs of stem, leaves and racemes curved upwards or ± crisp
2. Stems and racemes with dense ± patent ± crisp 0.2-0.7 mm hairs; leaves densely pubescent (often slightly greyish) with upward-curved or slightly crisp 0.2-0.4 mm hairs; often ± blackening when dry subsp. nimrodi
2. Stems and racemes with upward-curved, usually ± adpressed 0.05-0.3 mm hairs or glabrous; leaves sparsely puberulent, often only near margin, with upward curved ± adpressed 0,05-0.2(-0.3) mm hairs or especially lower often glabrous, often ± glaucous subsp. orientalis
subsp. orientalis. Syn: V. alliaria Parsa, Fl. Iran 4:451 (1949)!
Type described from cultivated material, Miller (holo. BM, photo E!).
C, E. & adjacent N. Anatolia. A7 Gümüşane: Moaldasdagh (Mağaldas Da.), Sint. 1894:5990! A8 Erzurum: 20 km from Aşkale to Bayburt, 2000 m, Hub.-Mor. 11568! A9 Kars: Kars i800 m, D. 29565! B5 Kayseri: Bakir Da. at Akoluk Y., 2400 m, D. 19658! B6 Sivas: 37 km W. of Gürün, 1750 m, Sorger 71-54-1! B7 Tunceli: Pertek to Tunceli, c. 42 km from Elaziğ, 1400 m, D. 29122 p.p.! B8 Erzurum: Korakaya Da. 15 km N. of Hinis, 2250 m, Watson et al. 3673! B9 Ağri: 2 km S. of Tutak, 1650 m, D. 43491! B10 Kars: mts. 25 km N. of Doğu-bayazit, 2145 m, D.M.Brown 418! C5 Içel: Aslanköy, Uslu 1042! C6 Maraş: Kurucaova between Göksun and Maraş, 1300 m, D. 27536! C7 Urfa: Karaca Da., 1750 m, Watson et al. 1096! C8 Mardin: 'Bakakri' nr Mardin, Sint. 1888: 1263! C9 Siirt: above Şirnak, 1400-1500 m, D. 42556! C10 Hakkari: Sat Da. between Varegöz and Sat G., 2300 m, D. 45599!
Also in adjacent region of Iran and Iraq. Some populations comprise specimens with lower leaves narrowly elliptic and entire, stems ± elongate and slightly stolon-like; racemes fewer-flowered, pedicels ± elongate, thus approaching the closely related Iranian V. kurdica (e.g. C10 Hakkari: Cilo Tepe, c. 3150 m, D. 24117!).

Veronica orientalis MILLER subsp. orientalis MILLER	Veronica orientalis MILLER subsp. orientalis MILLER	Veronica orientalis MILLER subsp. orientalis MILLER	Veronica orientalis MILLER subsp. orientalis MILLER	Veronica orientalis MILLER subsp. orientalis MILLER
Veronica orientalis MILLER subsp. orientalis MILLER	Veronica orientalis MILLER subsp. orientalis MILLER	Veronica orientalis MILLER subsp. orientalis MILLER	Veronica orientalis MILLER subsp. orientalis MILLER