654 



Alverstone, growing with the ordinary blue-flowered kind, in some 

 abundance, May 9, 1849. Bird's-eyes is the familiar appellation in 

 the Isle of Wight, and I think in other parts of England, for this 

 common but beautiful flower. The very nearly allied V. Teucrium 

 of the continent may, I conceive, be expected with considerable pro- 

 bability to grow wild on this side of the channel. 



Veronica monlana. In damp shady groves, woods, copses, and 

 on moist hedge-banks, in many parts of the Isle of Wight, but espe- 

 cially in East Medina ; abundantly. Very common about Ryde, in 

 Quarr Copse, at Apley, the Priory, &c. Frequent in woods at West 

 Cowes, and very general at Shanklin about the Chine ; in Appuldur- 

 combe Park and woods adjacent, in plenty, besides various other 

 parts of East Medina. Less frequent in West Medina, about New- 

 port, at Calbourne, in Lordon Copse near Shorwell, and many other 

 parts of that hundred. Probably frequent over the entire county, but 

 I have myself noticed it only in the great beech -hanger in Chawton 

 Park, near Alton, May, 1848. Chandler's Ford, near Otterbourne, 

 on the Southampton road, but I have forgotten my authority in this 

 instance. A variety of this pretty species with flowers of a delicate 

 rose colour, streaked with purple lines, is not uncommon about Ryde. 

 The close resemblance of the compressed orbicular capsule to the 

 pod of a Biscutella might have suggested the name of that genus, as 

 more appropriate for the specific appellation of this Veronica than its 

 present alpine one of montana, which is far less applicable to our 

 plant than to many others of the genus, since it affects indifferently 

 low as well as elevated situations, both in Britain and on the conti- 

 nent, and is assuredly not a particularly mountain species. 



officinalis. In dry woods, pastures and heathy places, 



and on hedge-banks, in a sandy, arid soil ; frequent throughout the 

 county and Isle of Wight. N.B. — V. spicata has been indicated to 

 me as found on St. George's Down, near Newport, in this island, and 

 by Miss A. M. Yonge as growing at Cranbury Park, near Winton, at 

 the edge of the copse, in dry gravelly soil. I have never fallen in 

 with this species in the former station, and think it probable that V. 

 officinalis was mistaken for it at Cranbury ; yet it is a plant not un- 

 likely to prove a native of our upland districts, and should be sought 

 for accordingly. 



serpyllifolia. Everywhere common in the island and 



county in open sandy fields, waste places, moist woods, pastures and 

 by road-sides, &c. 



arvensis. Frequent in dry barren or sandy pastures, on 



