CLASS, li. ORDER I.] VERONICi. J3 



round, ascending, weak. Leaves opposite, large, hairy, glossy, some- 

 times pointed at the extremity, equally serrated, with the footstalks 

 about their own length. Racemes lax, of few flowers. Calyx slightlj' 

 hairy, its segments united in pairs on opposite sides of the large, com- 

 pressed, menihranaceoiis, and veiny capsule, the thin edges of which 

 are fringed with fine jointed white hairs. Coro//rt light blue, streaked 

 with purple or reddish veins, lower segment lighter coloured, small 

 and narrow. 



Habitat. — ^V^oods and moist situations ; not very common. 



Perennial; flowering in May and June. 



How this species, so distinct in its characters, should ever have been 

 mistaken for V. chamadrijs, is somewhat remarkable; its general ap- 

 pearance, as well as specific characters, are so obviously different. 



*** Flowers axillary, solitary. (Root annual.) 



13. V. ayres'tis, (Fig. 19.) green procumbent Field Speedwell — Ger- 

 mander Chickweed. Stem procumbent, leaves opposite, petiolated, 

 cordato-ovate, deeply serrated, as long as the How er-stalks, seg- 

 ments of the calyx oblong obtuse, capsule of two tumid keeled 

 lobes, each cell containing about six seeds. 



Borrer, in English Botany Supplement, t. 2603. — English Flora, 

 vol. i. p. 24. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 189. — Hooker, British Flora, vol. 

 i. p. 7. 



Stem from three to twelve inches long, branching at the base. 

 Leaves ovate, deeply serrated, generally opposite, and on the lateral 

 branches frequently shorter than the flower-stalks. Calyx segments, 

 oblong, obtuse, longer than the capsule, dilating and becoming veiny 

 as the fruit advances to maturity. Floivers small, bright blue. Seed 

 large, oval, wrinkled, and cupped. Whole plant scattered with hairs, 

 varying considerably in size, and in the length of its flower-stalks. 

 We have specimens from Crab Marsh, Wisbech, nearly smooth, the 

 leaves broad, their stalks dilated and channelled above, the two lower 

 segments of the calyx much larger than the upper, and serrated. 



Habitat. — In waste and cultivated places common. 



Annual ; flowering during the summer months. 



14. V.poli'ta, (Fig. 20.) yrey procumbent Field Speedwell. Stem 

 procumbent, leaves petiolated, cordato-ovate, deeply serrated, 

 shorter than the flower-stalks, segments of the calyx ovate, acute, 

 capsule of two tumid lobes, cells containing many seeds. 



Veronica agrestis, English Botany, t. 783. — V. polita of Fries in 

 English Botany Supplement, t. 2603. — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. 

 p. 8. 



Root small. Stem from three to twelve inches lung, branching at the 

 base. Leavci on the lower part of the stem opposite, above alternate, 



