Introduction

The role of botanic gardens in the world is diverse, including support for scientific research, involvement in education, public relations, improvement of human welfare, and plant conservation (Maunder et al., 2001). However, botanic gardens have also been considered an avenue for the introduction of invasive allochthonous plants which is a major threat to global biodiversity (^{Dogra et al, 2010}; Hulme, 2015). Seed exchange through Index Seminum constitutes one of the main methods to increase seed and live plant collections between botanic gardens. However, this method could also allow the introduction of invasive plant species that have been initially found in the botanic garden and subsequently naturalized in wider territories (Reichard & White, 2001).

The genus Verónica L. (Plantaginaceae) comprises about 450 species distributed worldwide, especially in the Northern Hemisphere, with centers of diversity in western Asia and New Zealand in Southern Hemisphere (^{Albach & Meudt, 2010}). Verónica species have a wide variety of life forms, ranging from herbaceous annuals or perennials to shrubs or small trees (Albach & Meudt, 2010). Some species are naturalized in Argentina, southern Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay (Zuloaga et al., 2018), and invasive in different habitats such as natural environments, roadsides, wetlands and cultivated fields (^{Wu et al., 2010}; Takakura, 2013; Polechonska et al, 2020).

In Chile, the genus is represented by nine naturalized species, six perennial and three annual species, all of which are considered weeds (Romero & Klempau, 1981; ^{Matthei, 1995}; ^{Rodríguez et al., 2018}). The aim of this article is to report for the first time the presence of Verónica cymbalaria Bodard for the flora of Chile, an allochthonous annual herb growing feral in the biological collections of the National Botanical Garden, Viña del Mar, Chile. Besides, a taxonomic key of the Verónica species occurring in Chile is included.

Materials and Methods

To determine the identity of this species, literatee on Verónica species was reviewed: ^{Borissova, 1955}; Martínez-Ortega & Rico, 2000; Rojas-Andrés & Martínez-Ortega, 2016. Fresh material was collected and identified using the taxonomic key from Borissova (1955) and compared with nearby Verónica species described for Chile and Argentina (Romero & Klempau, 1981; ^{Rodríguez et al., 2018}; Zuloaga et al., 2018). The collected material was herborized and deposited in the herbarium of the National Botanical Garden of Chile (JBN). Additionally, photographs of live plants are included, and the collection site was georeferenced. The species occurrence map was elaborated using the QGIS 3.16 program. A morphological key was constructed based on the literature mentioned above following the taxonomic treatment from Rodríguez et al. (2018).

Results and Discussion

Taxónómic treatment

Verónica cymbalaria Bodard. Mém. Vérónique Cymb.: 3. 1798. TYPE: “Veronica Chia, Cymbalariae folio, verna, flore albo, umbilico virescente” in Buxbaum, Pl. Min. Cógn. Cent. 1: 25, t. 39, f. 2. 1728 (Lectotype, designated by Sánchez Agudo et al., Taxón 61: 868. 2012); SPAIN. Málaga, Antequera, El Torcal, 30SUF6291, 1200 m, bajo matas de Crataegus, 6-IV-1999, E. Rico ER6809 (Epitype, SALA 109296! designated by Sánchez Agudo et al., Taxón 61: 868. 2012; isoepitype, MA 855279!).

Annual herbs, stems 10-30(60) cm tall, decumbent, covered with long papillae. Leaves long-petiolate, laminas semiorbicular, subcordate or reniform, with (5)7-8(9) lobes shallow obtuse, middle lobe slightly larger than others, base truncate or cuneate. Flowers solitary in the axil of regular or reduced leaves, pedicel 12-40 mm long, exceeding leaves, patent or recurved. Calyces 2.5-6 mm long, with sepals ovate or obovate, apex obtuse, margin ciliate. Corollas rotate, tube scarcely exceeding calyx, white, limb 4-lobed, 3 lobes orbicular-ovate and 1 lobe ovate. 2-stamens 1-2 mm long, exserted, filament curved, anthers ovoid. Styles 1-2 mm long, distinctly exserted, stigma capitate. Capsules subglobose, ovoid to ellipsoid, broader than long, 4-lobed, apex slightly emarginated, pilose. Seeds 1-2 per locule, globose, 2.5-3 mm wide, weakly rugose, cyathiform.

Phenology: Verónica cymbalaria (Fig. 1) begins to vegetate in June, flowers in mid-September, and fruits at the end of October.

Common names in Europe and United States: “gallinita blanca”, “glandular speedwell”, “pale speedwell”.

Distribution and habitat: For the moment, this species has only been observed in and around the National Botanical Garden of Viña del Mar (Valparaíso Region, Chile; Fig. 2), where it grows abundantly in anthropized sites such as cultivated land, near watercourses, roadsides and under plantations of Pinus radiata D. Don. The area of occupancy is about 7.35 ha with 15-20 individuals per m2.

Material studied. CHILE. Valparaíso Region, Valparaíso Prov.: Viña del Mar, 33° 2' 51.41" S, 71° 30' 1.11'' W, X-2018, Cisternas s.n. (JBN 3689); idem, 33° 2’ 42.69” S, 71° 30’ 1.69” W), XII-2019, Cisternas s.n. (JBN 4071).

Verónica cymbalaria is native to the Mediterranean basin (^{Albach, 2007}), and has been considered uncommon in SW Spain (Valdés et al., 2008), however it has naturalized in other areas of Europe, North Africa, North America and temperate Asia (Mito & Uesugi, 2004; GBIF, 2021). According to Juan et al. (1995), the germination percentage of V. cymbalaria is relatively low (<20%) about other species of the genus which could translate to lower invasiveness. However, this should be studied given that different species of the genus Verónica in Chile are considered highly invasive such as V. anagallis-aquatica, V. arvensis, V. serpyllifolia (Fuentes et al., 2014). On the other hand, Veronica cymbalaria is similar to V. persica, however, they can easily distinguish by V. cymbalaria has a white corolla, and the capsules are shallowly 4-lobed and pilose. On the contrary, V persica has a blue corolla with dark stripes and white centers, and the capsules are 2-lobed, flattened, and broadly heart-shaped.

Fig. 1: Verónica cymbalaria Bodard. A: plant. B: flower, apical view. C: fruit, apical view. Escalas= A: 10 mm; B: 5 mm; C: 2 mm.

Fig. 2: Geographic location of V. cymbalaria in Chile.

Keys to the Veronica species occurring in Chile

1. Annual herbs.

2. Seeds cyathiform or scaphoid-concave.

3. Capsule subglobose. Seeds 1-2 per locule, cyathiform, globose, weakly rugose.

V. cymbalaria

3'. Capsule compressed on sides. Seeds 3-12 per locule, scaphoid-concave, oblong, shallow rugose.

V. persica

2'. Seeds flat or biconvex.

4. Stem subglabrous. Basal caulinar leaves cuneate at base, margin entire or subentire.

V. peregrina

4'. Stem pubescent. Basal caulinar leaves orbicular or subcordate at base, margin dentate or crenate-dentate.

V. arvensis

1'. Perennials herbs, rarely annuals in wet habitats.

5. Flowers in terminal racemes.

V. serpyllifolia 6

5'. Flowers solitary or in axillar racemes.

6. Calyx 4-partite. Capsule orbicular to oblong-ellipsoid, inflated, no laterally compressed. Seeds ellipsoid, biconvex or plano-convex.

7. Leaves sessile, sometimes basal leaves petiolate; semiamplexicaul, lamina often oblong or lanceolate, acute or acuminate apex. Inflorescence often glandular-pubescent.

V. anagallis-aquatica

7'. Leaves short-petiolate, lamina often orbicular or elliptical, acute or rounded apex. Inflorescence glabrous.

V. beccabunga

6'. Calyx 4- or 5-partite. Capsule deltoid-obcordate, ovoid, flat, laterally compressed. Seeds oval, oblong, flat, scaphoid, incurved on one side.

8. Plants confined to aquatic or marshy habits. Leaves glabrous, lamina linear to lanceolate.

V. scutellata

8'. Terrestrial plants. Leaves conspicuously pubescent, lamina ovate, oblong-ovate or suborbicular.

9. Leaves petiolate, lamina ovate or oblong-ovate, margin denticulate or serrate-dentate, sometimes subentire, base attenuate to cuneate-obtuse.

V. officinalis

9'. Leaves sessile or short petiolate, lamina ovate orsuborbicular, margin crenate-serrate, base rounded or subcordiform.

V. chamaedrys

Conclusions

We report a new naturalized allochthonous plant species for the flora of Chile. According to this study, the genus Veronica is represented by ten allochthonous species in Chile. Early detection of introduced species allows decisions to be made to prevent the species from spreading and becoming invasive. It is important to take measures to eradicate this species with invasive potential in the JBN.

Author Contributions

All authors have designed and performed the analysis, wrote the manuscript, and read and approved its final versión.

Recibido: 12 May 2022

Aceptado: 14 Feb 2023