Veronica serpyllifolia subsp. serpyllifolia (thyme-leaved speedwell, "Kotengukuwagata")

Japanese name: コテングクワガタ （小天狗鍬形）
Scientific name: Veronica serpyllifolia subsp. serpyllifolia

[Overview]
A perennial 10–20 cm tall, found along damp roadsides and similar places.
The stems creep long on the ground, with the tips rising, and have short, upward-pointing, pressed hairs.
Leaves are simple and opposite, elliptic, 4–15 mm long and 3–12 mm wide, with three conspicuous veins.
The leaf margin has a few indistinct teeth.
The leaf stalk is absent or very short.
Towards the top of the stem the leaves gradually change into bracts.
Racemes arise from the upper leaf axils and bear many flowers.
The corolla is 4-lobed, 3–5 mm across, and very pale bluish purple with blue lines.
The inflorescence axis, inflorescence stalks and flower stalks have short, upward-pointing, pressed hairs and no long soft hairs.
The fruit is a flattened, obcordate capsule.
It can be distinguished from Tengu-kuwagata by the presence or absence of long soft hairs on the flower stalks and elsewhere.

[History]
It was confirmed in Gunma in 1947 and is now naturalized from Hokkaido to Honshu.

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