Taxonomy of Veronica subsect. Serpyllifoliae (Scrophulariaceae)

Veronica repens in Corsica is shown to be a subspecies within V. serpyllifolia and is endemic there. A detailed study of the indumentum, together with considerations on palynology, seed morphology, karyology and phytogeography, has shown that the Spanish populations usually assigned to ‘V. repens’ are different from that subsp. repens at species level and belong to ‘V. langei’. This species, endemic to Spain, consist of two varieties: V. langei var. langei and V. langei var. neuadensis. ‘V. humifusa’ (= V. tenella= V. balcanica = V. apennina) is a high mountain ecotype of V. serpyllifolia meriting only varietal rank: V. serpyllifolia subsp. serpyllifolia var. humifusa. A taxonomic key to all taxa is supplied, as well as nomenclatural considerations, typification of several names, descriptions, drawings and distribution maps. A new subsection in Veronica sect. Veronicastrum is proposed.