Syn.: Veronica bonarota L., Wulfenia bonarota Sm.
Family: Plantaginaceae Juss.
Distribution: Endemic species of southern part of the Eastern Alps – occurs from the Tauern Mountains and Dolomites to the Julian Alps.
Ecology: It grows in crevices of limestone rocks, from foothills to alpine zone, up to an elevation of 2600 m. It blooms from June to August.
Description: Perennial herb. Stem 5–15 cm tall, pubescent, leaves opposite, subsessile or shortly petiolate, 15–30 × 7–20 mm, with not more than 9 teeth on each side, hirsute, the lower broadly ovate to rhombic, the upper ovate to oblong-lanceolate. Flowers in a terminal raceme, calyx somewhat unequally 5-lobed, corolla 10–13 mm, violet-blue (rarely pink), with cylindrical tube and 2-lipped limb, upper lip entire, erect, lower lip 3-lobed, more or less patent. The fruit is a capsule.
These images were taken in Italy, the Dolomites, Passo di Falzarego (June 19, 2005).
