Veronica besseya

Veronica besseya
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Plantaginaceae
Genus:	Veronica
Species:	V. besseya
Binomial name
	Veronica besseya; M.M.Mart.Ort. & Albach
Synonyms
	Besseya alpina (A.Gray) Rydb.; Synthyris alpina A.Gray;

Veronica besseya, commonly known as Alpine coral drops^[1] and Alpine kitten tails, is a species of flowering plant belonging to the genus Veronica in the family Plantaginaceae.^[2]

Description

Veronica besseya was first discovered for science by Charles Parry in 1861, in the headwaters of South Clear Creek, Colorado.^[3]

Range

Endemic to Western North America, with populations found in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.^[4]

Habitat and ecology

Veronica besseya is quite diminutive, growing 2-8 inches in height in the alpine tundra of the Rocky Mountains. Leaves and stem range from glabrous (lacking hairs) to densely pilose (with long hairs).^[3]

Taxonomy

After its discovery, Veronica besseya was first named Synthyris alpina by Asa Gray. In 1903, it was renamed Besseya alpina by Axel Rydberg.^[5] However, it was proposed in 2004 that all Besseya species actually belong in the genus Veronica, the speedwells.^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b "Alpine Coraldrops Veronica besseya". The Encyclopedia of Life.
^ "Veronica besseya (Alpine Besseya)". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
^ ^a ^b "Southwest Colorado Wildflowers, Veronica besseya".
^ "2013 BONAP North American Plant Atlas. TaxonMaps". bonap.net.
^ Rydberg, P. A. “Some Generic Segregations.” Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club, vol. 30, no. 5, 1903, pp. 271–81. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2478553. Accessed 24 May 2022.
^ Albach, Dirk C., et al. “A New Classification of the Tribe Veroniceae: Problems and a Possible Solution.” Taxon, vol. 53, no. 2, 2004, pp. 429–52. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/4135620. Accessed 23 May 2022.

This Plantaginaceae article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[eol-1] "Alpine Coraldrops Veronica besseya". The Encyclopedia of Life.

[inaturalist-Veronica_besseya-2] "Veronica besseya (Alpine Besseya)". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2022-05-23.

[auto-3] "Southwest Colorado Wildflowers, Veronica besseya".

[4] "2013 BONAP North American Plant Atlas. TaxonMaps". bonap.net.

[5] Rydberg, P. A. “Some Generic Segregations.” Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club, vol. 30, no. 5, 1903, pp. 271–81. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2478553. Accessed 24 May 2022.

[6] Albach, Dirk C., et al. “A New Classification of the Tribe Veroniceae: Problems and a Possible Solution.” Taxon, vol. 53, no. 2, 2004, pp. 429–52. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/4135620. Accessed 23 May 2022.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]