Cockayne. — Development of Seedlings. 287 



Veronica squalida, T. Kirk. Plate XI., figs. 36, 37. 



The seed was given to me by Mr. A. L. Taylor, who 

 gathered it from cne plant in the Botanic Garden, Christ- 

 church. This plant was originally sent to the above garden 

 by Mr. T. Kirk at about the time when he first published the 

 species. The seed was sown on the 6th June, 1899, and 

 germinated on the 14th June, 1899. 



Description of Seedling. 



Early development : The hypocotyl emerges from the 

 seed-coat and becomes developed considerably before the 

 cotyledons appear. The cotyledons at this stage are arched 

 downwards, enclosed in the seed-coat. The hypocotyl be- 

 comes slightly thickened at the base, and puts forth a great 

 number of long minute hairs, which, together with the now 

 descending root, fix the plant in position. Next the cotyle- 

 dons open out horizontally. At this stage the cotyledons are 

 sessile, oblong, 2-75 mm. x T75 mm., and the root is fur- 

 nished with numbers of root-hairs, to which the particles of 

 earth adhere in masses. The hypocotyl, at first white, is now 

 green, and 2 mm. in length. By the 30th November, 1899 — 

 i.e., in about five months and a half — the largest plants had 

 attained to a height of 18 mm., and were furnished with three 

 pairs of leaves ; the cotyledons also were still present. 



Plant described 18 mm. tall. 



Root fibrous, with numerous lateral rootlets. 



Hypocotyl stout, terete, almost glabrous. 



Cotyledons ovate or ovate-oblong, entire, green, often 

 much stained with purple (this purple staining is very com- 

 mon in Veronica), glabrous, with petioles connate and chan- 

 nelled above. 



Leaves opposite, decussate, entire or with one or two teeth 

 on each margin, ciliated with short hairs curved at the apex ; 

 lamina green on upper purple on under surface, and with 

 purple margin, tapering into the petiole ; midrib prominent 

 on under surface ; petioles half the length of lamina, chan- 

 nelled on upper surface, connate at base. 



1st pair of leaves ovate, usually quite entire. 



2nd pair of leaves (lamina) 9 mm. x 5 mm. ; petiole 2 mm. 

 long. 



Succeeding leaves become more narrow, still usually with 

 one or two teeth. 



At a further stage of development the leaves become 

 linear-obovate or linear-lanceolate, usually with one or two 

 teeth towards apical end of leaf, dull-green above, often purple 

 beneath, ciliated with very short hairs ; lamina tapering into 

 petiole, 2-2 cm. x 7 mm.; petiole 5 mm., rather broad and 

 channelled above. 



