Veronica spicata Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 10. 1753; V. porphyriana Pavlov; V. spicata subsp. porphyriana (Pavlov) Elenevsky.

Stems often gray or gray-green, erect or ascending, 1 or several and cespitose, 15-50 cm tall, simple, densely villous hairy, rarely basally mixed with glutinous glandular hairs, apically densely with viscid glandular hairs. Leaves opposite, often more crowded at stem base; petiole of lower leaves ca. 2.5 cm, shorter to subsessile on upper leaves; leaf blade oblong to lanceolate, 2-8 X 0.5-3 cm, smaller upward, sparsely to densely with viscid glandular hairs, margin entire or crenate. Inflorescences densely with viscid glandular hairs. Flowers subsessile. Calyx 2.5-3.5 mm. Corolla purple, blue, or rarely white, 6-7 mm; tube ca. 1/3 of corolla length; lobes slightly patent, upper lobe ovate-lanceolate and other 3 lobes lanceolate. Stamens slightly exserted. Young capsule oblong-globose, with multicellular glandular hairs. Fl. Jul-Sep. 2n = 34, 64, 68, 70.

Meadows, coniferous forests; below 2500 m. NW Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia; Europe].