SCROPHULARIACEiE. 155 



In sandy fields on the confines of Norfolk and Sufl'olk ; about 

 Mildenhall and Thetford, and Bury St. Edmund's ; Lowestoft, 

 Sufl'olk (the Rev. W. W. Newbould). 



England. Annual. Spring. 



Stems in British specimens 1 to 3 inches high, and even on the 

 Continent rarely exceeding 6 inches. Leaves divided somewhat in 

 the same manner as in V. triphyllos, but longer in proportion to 

 their breadth, with more bristly hairs and not turning black in 

 drying. Flowers usually close together even in fruit. Corolla shorter 

 than the calyx, pale-blue. Capsule broader than long, the outer 

 margins projecting between the pairs of calyx-segments ; lobes often 

 tinged with red. Plant yellowish-green, bristly-hairy, with the 

 hairs incurved, many of those in the upper part of the stem gland- 

 tipped. 



Vernal Speedwell. 



French, Veronique Frintcmiere. German, Friihlings Ehrenpreis. 



SPECIES VIL— V ERONICA ARVENSIS. Linn. 



Plate DCCCCLXXVL 



Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XX. Tab. MDCCXX. Fig. 2. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 598. 



Annual. Stem rather stiff", erect or ascending, generally 

 branched ; branches curved upwards, then erect. Leaves ovate- 

 oval, irregularly crenate-serrate, the lowest ones shortly stalked, 

 the rest sessile. Bracts alternate, strapshaped-oblanceolate, or the 

 lower ones lanceolate. Elowers in a spikelike raceme, at length 

 lax. Pedicels erect, much shorter than the bracts and calyx. 

 Sepals strapshaped- or strapshaped-oblanceolate, obtuse, ciliated 

 with hairs, some of which are gland-tipped. Capsule much shorter 

 than the calyx, inversely semicircular-deltoid, obcordate, ciliated 

 with long hairs, some of which are gland-tipped ; lobes much 

 compressed, slightly divaricate, separated by a rather wide right- 

 angled notch. Style short, not exceeding the notch of the capsule. 

 Seeds nearly flat on the inner face. Plant pubescent, with rather 

 long jointed and frequently gland-tipped hairs, intermixed in the 

 upper part with short incurved hairs. 



On dry sandy ground, fields, roadsides, wall-tops, &c. Very 

 common, and generally distributed. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Annual. Spring 

 to Autumn. 



