374 Transactions. — Botany. 



3rd leaf : Shape similar, but with petiole nearly as long as 

 lamina. 



Up till about the 6th leaf the newly produced leaves are 

 similar to the above, except that leaves with one or two teeth 

 on each side make their appearance. 



6th leaf 1-4 cm. x 8 mm., obovate, lower third cuneate 

 and entire, upper two-thirds serrate, with four or more serra- 

 tions, acute, pale shining green above, much paler beneath ; 

 midrib sunken ; petiole one-third as long as the leaf, chan- 

 nelled, with two minute, adnate, hairy, chaffy stipules at 

 base. 



Stem terete, pale, with internodes variable in length, 

 bifariously hairy, the two rows on each internode alternate 

 with those on the succeeding ; hairs very close, and curving 

 upwards at the tip ; adventitious roots are early formed, 

 coming from the lower nodes. 



Variations not many ; the petioles may be shorter than 

 those described for the 5th leaf, and the laminse oval, and 

 thicker in texture. 



The seed germinated very freely, and the seedlings became 

 much crowded. On this in large measure depended the 

 variations, length of internodes, and texture of leaves. The 

 plants grow very slowly indeed, much more slowly than the 

 shrubby Veronicas, and this is surprising when we consider 

 the moist misty atmosphere of their native habitat. 



Veronica salicifolia, Forst. Plate XXX., figs. 3, 3a, 36. 



Seed gathered from plant on bank of Broken Eiver by 

 A. H. Cockayne, at altitude of 600 m. Germinated in about 

 four weeks. 



Description of Seedling. 



Root at first straight, white, fleshy, soon becomes much 

 branching from near junction with hypocotyle ; branches 

 wide-spreading, slender. 



Hypocotyle white, fleshy, 3mm. long or less, lengthening 

 very little as plant grows, terete, minutely hairy. 



Leaves vary somewhat, especially in early stages, bright- 

 green, polished above, slightly toothed or quite entire ; later 

 leaves conspicuously and evenly serrated with serrations 

 1 mm. long ; petioles of early leaves one-third length of 

 lamina, or even more, in later leaves hardly one-seventh as 

 long until finally the adult leaves are almost sessile ; early 

 produced leaves ovate, oval, or ovate-lanceolate, the succeed- 

 ing leaves passing through a gradual transition of forms, and 

 so becoming a little narrower until the final adult lanceolate 

 leaves are alone produced. 



1st to 6th pairs of leaves (Plate XXX., figs. 3a, 36) are 



