1921] Pennell, — "Veronica" in North and South America 19 



11a. Veronica peregrina xalapensis (H.B.K.) Pennell 



Veronica xalapensis H.B.K., Nov. Gen. et Sp. 2: 389. 1818. 

 " Crescit in Regno Mexicano prope Xalapa (alt. 630 hex.) in nemor- 

 ibus Liquidambaris Styracifluae [Humboldt & Bonpland]." 



Veronica chillensis H. B. K, 1. c. 390. 1818. " Crescit in cultis 

 Regni Quitensis prope Chillo, alt. 1340 hex. [Humboldt & Bonpland]." 

 Described as differing from V. xalapensis in having stem repent, 

 leaves wider (oblong-spatulate instead of oblong), and calyx-lobes 

 narrower (lanceolate instead of oblong), at length reflexed. All 

 these are points of normal variation in this variety, excepting that 

 the plant is never truly repent. In the full description the word 

 "repentes" is followed by the truer statement " adscendentes. " 



Veronica peregrina xalaj)ensis (H.B.K.) Pennell in Torreya 19: 

 167. 1919. 



Environment as in Veronica peregrina, with which over an exten- 

 sive area transitional forms occur; wide-spread and usually common 

 through western North and South America from Alaska and Yukon 

 to Chile and Argentina, in the Tropical portions of its range found 

 only on the upper Cordilleras; eastward, in the United States fre- 

 quent nearly to the Mississippi River, and sporadically eastward, 

 probably as an introduction, to New England; also, probably also 

 introduced, in Brazil. 



12. Veronica arvensis L. 



Veronica arvensis L., Sp. PI. 13. 1753. "Habitat in Europae 

 arvis, cultis." Diagnosis quoted from Linne, Fl. Suec. 6. no. 16. 

 1745, where we are told that the plant occurs in Sweden "in agris 

 ruderatis cultis frequens." Our American introduced plant agrees 

 well with the description of this. 



Gardens and fields, or in dry woods, on cliffs and talus slopes, 

 mostly common from Newfoundland to Iowa, Georgia and Okla- 

 homa; southern Alaska to Oregon; Bermuda; Jamaica; Argentina. 

 Introduced from Eurasia. 6 



13. Veronica agrestis L. 



Veronica agrestis L., Sp. PI. 13. 1753. "Habitat in Europae 

 cultis, arvis." Diagnosis quoted from Linne, Fl. Suec. 6. no. 17. 

 1745, where the plant is said to occur in Sweden "in agris, areis, 



6 This species frequently grows in such "native" environments that the question 

 of its being indigenous to the Northeast has been raised. But its weed-like character, 

 ensuring its early introduction, and the fact that its American range is not so great 

 as would be expected of such a species if native, leads me to think it introduced. 

 See also Fernald in Rhodoha 2: 137. 1900. In the case of this and Veronica officinalis 

 L., below, the burden of proof is on those who would claim them indigenous to both 

 hemispheres. 



