Veronica rupestris Aitch. & Hemsl.

Albach, Dirk C., 2025, From just a few to the most type-rich herbarium for Veronica L. (Plantaginaceae) - The effect of digitization of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle herbarium in Paris, Adansonia (3) 47 (7), pp. 47-130 : 91

Veronica rupestris Aitch. & Hemsl.

Journal of the Linnean Society, Botany 19: 180, pl. 25 ( Aitchison 1882).

TYPE CITATION. — Pakistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: “Kuram district, on shaded moist localities, at from 8000 to 11,000 feet altitude, Saféd-koh, Collett no. 112. [ India, Himachal Pradesh] Lahul, Jaeschke. Herb. Falconer no. 784, Kew distribution in part”.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Aitchison/Collett no. 112, FI [FI009712 *]; Falconer no. 784, P[ P03529391 *]; Journal of the Linnean Society 19: pl. 25 ( Aitchison 1882).

Nomenclatural note. Veronica rupestris is a showy plant described from Pakistan and India (Himachal Pradesh) but likely conspecific with V. lanosa described from Indian Himachal Pradesh ( Pennell 1943). Aitchison (1882) compared his species with V. lanosa , from which it is said to differ in having axillary inflorescences (not terminal) and capsule longer than calyx. However, the latter is not a distinguishing character, and the former is known to be variable in the genus and sometimes even within species ( Albach et al. 2004a). Aitchison (1882) stated two collections under this name, Collett no. 112 and Jaeschke in Herb. Falconer no. 784. However, several other specimens can be found that Aitchison collected under that name (no. 198, 238, 331) before the publication date (e.g., BM000997928, P03529390). One of each of the type collections has been found, one in Florence, one in Paris, from the herbarium of the East India Company and distributed from Kew to the general herbarium. Surprisingly, the collections have not been found in Kew. Pennell (1943) mentioned a specimen in GH, but this has also not been digitized nor found during a visit. Other collections to be inspected are those of Calcutta, St. Petersburg, and Saharanpur (now at DD) ( Hill 1899).