SCROPHULARIACE^ 83 



narrower serrate leaves; V. scutellata, L., with pink flowers 

 and linear-lanceolate nearly entire leaves. Annual weeds 

 in cultivated land : — V. agrestis, L., nearly glabrous, with 

 pale blue flowers and ovate-cordate coarsely serrate 

 stalked leaves ; V. polita^ Fr,, similar, but flowers bright 

 blue, and seeds more numerous ; V. persica^ Poir. {Bux- 

 baumii, Ten.), resembling agrestis, but with much larger 

 bright blue flowers, like those of ChamcBdrys ; V. hederce- 

 foliay L., very pubescent, with very small pale blue 

 flowers, and broadly ovate 5-7-lobed leaves ; V. arvensis, 

 L., pubescent, with pale blue flowers, and ovate-cordate 

 irregularly crenate-serrate leaves. On dry banks : — V. 

 serpyllifolia, L., with small very pale flowers and thick 

 glabrous ovate-lanceolate nearly entire leaves. 



The following lowland annual weeds are found in Swit- 

 zerland, but are rare or do not occur in this country : — 

 V. opaca, L. ; corolla dark blue, leaves dark green, nearly 

 orbicular, with short hairs ; rare ; Western and Central 

 Switzerland. V. verna, L. ; stem erect, glandular-pubes- 

 cent, leaves pinnatifid, bracts entire; grassy places. V. tri- 

 phyllos, L. ; stem erect, leaves palmately 3-7-lobed, bracts 

 3-5 -fid; grassy places. V. acinifolza, L. ; flowers light 

 blue with yellow throat, stem glandular, leaves rather 

 thick, slightly crenate; fields, rare. V.prcecox, L. ; flowers 

 blue, stem erect, radical leaves somewhat cordate, deeply 

 crenate; fields. 



The foflowing are perennial species, and mostly more 

 or less alpine : — 



A. Raceme simple, terminal: — V, spicata^ L. (PI. 93); 

 stem 6-18 in. nearly leafless above, flowers bright blue, 

 in a dense raceme, leaves opposite, lanceolate -ovate, 

 crenate-serrate ; dry hill-sides. 



