A new classification of the tribe Veroniceae -: problems and a possible solution

Based on the most recent evidence from phylogenetic analyses of Veronica and its related genera, we propose a new infratribal and infrageneric rearrangement for Veroniceae and Veronica. These recent analyses have settled the long dispute about the relationship of the Northern Hemisphere Veronica and the Southern Hemisphere Hebe complex and have shown the derivation of the latter from within the former. Other currently recognized genera such as Synthyris and Pseudolysimachion are also derived from within Veronica. A classification based on monophyletic genera therefore needs to either lump some well recognized genera into a large genus Veronica or split Veronica into several genera that seem impossible to separate using morphological or structural characters. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages and conclude that it is best to recognize a large genus Veronica (including Hebe, Parahebe, Chionohebe, Heliohebe, Detzneria, Derwentia, Pseudolysimachion, Synthyris and Besseya) with 13 subgenera, along with 8 other genera, Scrofella, Veronicastrum (inclusive of Calorhabdos and Botryopleuron), Lagotis, Wulfenia, Kashmiria, Picrorhiza, Wulfeniopsis and Paederota, in Veroniceae.