Veronica nudicaulis Lam.

Flore françoise, ed. 1, 2: 437 (Lamarck 1778), nom. inval. (Art. 36.1c; V. aphylla L. cited in synonymy). — V. aphylla var. nudicaulis (Lam.) Lam. & DC., Flore française ed. 3, 3: 463 (Lamarck & De Candolle 1805).

TYPE CITATION. — “Ex Europae alpibus”.

LECTOTYPE (designated here). — P-LAM[P00358059*].

Nomenclatural note. Veronica nudicaulis was described from the European Alps but with V.aphylla mentioned in synonymy (Lamarck 1778). The description differs from V. aphylla L. (Linnaeus 1753) in having a terminal inflorescence, but this is sometimes easy to overlook. The specimen in his herbarium (P-LAM[P00358059]) matches V. aphylla . So, we need to assume that Lamarck did not find the epithet “aphylla ” appropriate. Lamarck continued to use the name V. nudicaulis until 1805 (Lamarck & De Candolle 1805), when he mentioned V. nudicaulis as variety ss under V. aphylla, differing from typical V. aphylla by the capsule being obtuse and not notched.