98 SWISS FLOWERS. 



lateral spikes, or whether they are in spikes at all, but grow 

 one, or two, axillary. Also the divisions of the calyx 

 furnish another mark of distinction, according as it has four 

 or five. Some Veronicas are among our commonest flowers. 

 V. Chamaedrys is scattered everywhere along the hedgerows 

 and banks, its pretty blue blossom having only one fault — 

 that of falling off too quickly. The general characters of 

 the family are — calyx with four or five divisions ; corolla 

 blue, sometimes pink, with short tube, the limb deeply 

 divided into four, the lowest division the smallest ; stamens 

 prominent. 



V. saxatilis (Fig. 77) is of very pretty growth, its 

 spreading, half-woody, branches having many small smooth 

 leaves not unlike those of Thyme. The flowers are borne, 

 in number from two to seven, at the end of a stem 

 three or four inches long, with opposite leaves. They are 

 fully half an inch across, rivalling those of the Gentian in 

 colour, with a very short tube. They may be distinguished 

 by the great prominence and whiteness of the anthers con- 

 trasted with the deep blue of the petal, and by a circle of 

 red round the mouth of the tube. The style is nearly as 

 long as the stamens, but with an inconspicuous stigma. On 

 high mountainous rocks : Cret du Miroir, Jura ; Col des 

 Aravis ; Maderaner Thai ; Mont Cenis. 



