Objective: Veronica is a species-rich genus of the Plantaginaceae, comprising over 500 annual and perennial herbs distributed across both hemispheres. Relationships within the Veronica hederifolia complex (V. hederifolia, V. cymbalaria, V. panormitana, and V. triloba), all belonging to V. subg. Cochlidiosperma, is unclear due to overlapping morphological features that complicate taxonomic delimitation. This study aimed to clarify species boundaries in this complex. Method: We analysed 28 sequences from three regions: the nuclear low-copy CYCLOIDEA2 region, the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS), and the plastid DNA (trnL–trnF), in combination with morphological characters. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using Bayesian inference. Results: Morphological variation was observed in leaf shape, calyx and pedicel orientation, corolla diameter and colour, sepal form, and seed features. The CYC2 marker provided the highest resolution, confirming the monophyly of the complex and distinguishing V. triloba as a separate species. V. cymbalaria and V. panormitana formed sister lineages, with V. panormitana as the earliest-diverging taxon. Plastid trnL–trnF sequences showed limited variability, and ITS data displayed partial incongruence, likely due to hybridization, introgression, and polyploidy. Conclusions: Integrating molecular and morphological evidence highlights the utility of low-copy nuclear markers in resolving recently diverged and reticulate lineages. The results support distinct evolutionary trajectories within the V. hederifolia complex and confirm the importance of CYC2 in species delimitation

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