WAYSIDES AND WASTES IN SPRING 



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small, narrow, erect, scale-like leaves, and, at the top, a single flower- 

 head, surrounded by a whorl of narrow bracts, and a few smaller 

 outer bracts. The inflorescence consists of several whorls of narrow, 



THE GOUTWEED. 



strap-shaped, outer florets, with no stamens ; and a few central, 

 tubular, perfect florets. The fruits are cylindrical, with a tuft of 

 long, simple hairs. 



The Speedwells ( Veronica) belong to the order Scrophnkiriacece. 

 They are all herbs, with simple leaves ; slightly irregular flowers 

 with an unequally four-cleft, spreading corolla, the lower lobe 



H 2 



