Nov. 1891.] THE BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 197 



This, the result of a cross between V. salicifolia and V. speciosa, 

 was raised by the late Isaac Anderson Henry over forty years 

 ago. It is still one of the best. All the above require 

 protection during winter. As greenhouse plants, either 

 planted out or grown in pots, they are most effective, and 

 lend a pleasant variety at all times with their bright-shining 

 foliage, and compact bush-like habit. They are free-flowering 

 plants, particularly the hybrid varieties, which produce hand- 

 some racemes of flowers of various shades of blue, red, or 

 white. A very handsome variegated-leaved form of V. 

 Andersoni, which originated as a sport from it, was at one 

 time in general use as a summer bedding plant, and is still 

 one of the finest variegated plants in existence. 



It is in the out-door garden, however, that the value of 

 New Zealand veronicas will be most appreciated, and there 

 are fortunately a large number of species well fitted to bear 

 all the vicissitudes of our fickle climate ; and it is those 

 species that I wish particularly to bring under your notice 

 to-night. The hardiest of all the species are those described 

 by Sir Joseph D. Hooker in the Handbook of the New 

 Zealand Flora, and which form section 4 of his arrangement 

 of the genus. These consist of some six species found at 

 altitudes of from 3000 to 8000 feet on the ice-clad slopes of 

 the New Zealand mountains. Thoroughly alpine in char- 

 acter, they have a very curious appearance, closely re- 

 sembling some conifers, and, except when in flower, might 

 readily be mistaken for such, rather than for veronicas of the 

 ordinary type. V. cupressoides, Hook, f., forms a dense, erect- 

 growing bush, reaching a height of about 4 feet. In cultivation, 

 it flowers very sparingly at the tips of the branches. The 

 flowers are white, tinged with violet. It is, however, for the 

 fine upright habit and evergreen branches and foliage that 

 the plant is valued. It is of easy growth in ordinary soil, is 

 very suitable for planting in beds alone or along with other 

 plants in borders, and is a choice plant for the alpine garden. 



A beautiful golden variegated sport has been observed on 

 this species ; and no doubt, when this plant is more widely 

 distributed throughout the country, these sports will become 

 more numerous, and we shall probably have variegations 

 similar to those that obtain at present among conifers, to 

 which they bear so striking a likeness. 



