Veronica anagallis-aquatica L. f. anagalliformis Boreau

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 : 83

Veronica anagallis-aquatica L. f. anagalliformis Boreau

Flore du centre de la France et du bassin de la Loire, ed. 3, 2: 489. ( Boreau 1857). — V. anagallis-aquatica var. anagalliformis (Boreau) Fiek , Flora von Schlesien: 329 (Fiek & Uechtritz 1881).

TYPE CITATION. — None designated.

LECTOTYPE (designated here). — “ Angers marais de la Maine June 1853 ” [ANG*; Fig. 6 ].

ORIGINAL MATERIAL. — “Cher, Mehun; A. B. 21. Jun. 1854 ”, MPU[no barcode *]; “ Veronica anagalliformis Boreau inédit, Cher, St. Amand, bord du Cher, 28. juillet 1853, A. B.”, P[P04040828*]; “ Veronica anagalliformis mihi Cher, Bourges, 17. Juillet 1854 A. B.”, P[ P04040827 *].

Nomenclatural note. Alexandre Boreau wrote an influential flora of central France ( Boreau 1840, 1849, 1857), in which he described V. anagallis-aquatica f. anagalliformis with glandular inflorescence but not fitting to V. anagalloides . The name was often referred to in subsequent studies as form or variety of V. anagallis-aquatica .

Unfortunately, Boreau did not further describe the origin of the form. The specimens in P are distinguished from V. anagallis-aquatica by capsule shape and style length and have flower stalks curved upwards with small bracts, excluding V. catenata . The two specimens in Paris came through the Drake collection, a connection not mentioned by Bureau (1904), and to the general herbarium by M. Loret. The lectotype is chosen from the herbarium of Boreau in ANG ( Fig. 6 ) and is the earliest collection by Boreau found. It also bears the annotation “ Veronica anagalloides ?” expressing the first doubt of Boreau regarding the identity of the specimens.

Figures

FIG. 6. — Lectotype of Veronica anagallis-aquatica f. anagalliformis Boreau (Muséum de la ville d’Angers [ANG]).