GENUS 23. 



FIGWORT FAMILY. 



201 



4. Veronica officinalis L. Common Speed- 

 well. Fluellin. Gipsy-weed. Fig. 3799. 



Veronica officinalis L. Sp. PI. n. 1753. 



Perennial by stolons, pubescent all over; stem as- 

 cending, 3'-io' high. Leaves oblong, oval, or obo- 

 vate, petioled, '-2' long, obtuse at the apex, serrate, 

 narrowed into the petioles; racemes spike-like, nar- 

 row, dense, elongated, often borne only in alternate 

 axils, much longer than the leaves; subulate bract- 

 lets and the calyx longer than the pedicels; flowers 

 pale blue, 2"-3" broad ; capsule obovate-cuneate, 

 compressed, broadly emarginate, 2" high, ii" broad; 

 seeds numerous, flat. 



In dry fields and woods, Nova Scotia to Ontario, 

 South Dakota, North Carolina and Tennessee. As- 

 cends to 5600 ft. in Virginia. Also in Europe and Asia. 

 Appears, in most places, as if introduced. Paul's-betony. 

 Ground-hele. Upland speedwell. May-Aug. 



Veronica longifolia L., an erect European species 

 with lanceolate petioled acuminate sharply serrate 

 leaves, has been found in waste grounds and fields 

 from Nova Scotia to New York. 



5. Veronica Chamaedrys L. Germander 

 Speedwell. Fig. 3800. 



Veronica Chamaedrys L. Sp. PI. 13. 1753. 



Perennial ; stem ascending, simple or branched, 

 slender, pubescent in two lines, 4^-12' high. Leaves 

 ovate, sessile, or very nearly so, pubescent, trun- 

 cate, rounded or cordate at the base, incised- 

 dentate, obtuse at the apex, -i long; racemes 

 borne in opposite or alternate axils, peduncled, 

 more or less pubescent, loose, 2 r -6' long ; pedicels 

 filiform, longer than the calyx and usually longer 

 than the bractlets ; flowers light blue, 3"-4" 

 broad; capsule obcordate, narrowed at the base; 

 seeds numerous, flattish. 



In fields and waste places, Nova Scotia and 

 Quebec to southern New York and Pennsylvania. 

 Naturalized from Europe. Other English names 

 are blue eye, eyebright, angel's-eye, god's-eye, bird's- 

 eye, cat's-eye, base vervain. Forget-me-not. May- 

 July. 



Veronica Teucrium L., also European, similar to 

 V. Chamaedrys, but with oblong to lanceolate 

 crenate leaves, has been found in New England and 

 Ohio. 



6. Veronica Wormskioldii R. & S. Worms- 

 kiold's Speedwell. Fig. 3801. 



V. Wormskioldii R. & S. Syst. i: 101. 1817. 



Perennial, pubescent or nearly glabrous; stems 

 ascending or erect, slender, usually simple, 2'-i2' 

 high. Leaves oblong, ovate, or elliptic, sessile, mostly 

 rounded at both ends, crenulate or entire, J'-i' long; 

 flowers in a short narrow raceme at the end of the 

 stem, light blue, 2"-3" broad ; pedicels shorter than 

 the calyx in flower, much shorter than the bractlets, 

 2"-3" long in fruit; capsule ellipsoid or slightly obo- 

 void, moderately compressed, emarginate, 2 '-3" high ; 

 seeds numerous, flattish. 



Labrador; mountains of Quebec and New England 

 to Alaska, south in the Rocky Mountains to Colorado 

 and in the Sierra Nevada to Nevada. Summer. Re- 

 ferred in our first edition to V. alpina L. 



