636 VERONICA 



Native of both the main islands of New Zealand. Mr Cheeseman regards 

 this as more nearly related to V. Traversii (or what goes generally under 

 that name) than any other. It differs in the hairy throat of the corolla, and 

 in the glaucous foliage. It is a neat bush, but does not flower with the 

 freedom of V. Traversii. 



V. DIEFFENBACHII, Bentham. 



(Bot. Mag., t. 7656.) 



A shrub of wide-spreading habit, 3 to 4 ft. high. Leaves narrow-oblong, 

 2 to 4 ins. long, \ to I in. wide; pointed, thick in texture, rather pale green; 

 the base stalkless and partially clasping the stem. Racemes showy, pro- 

 duced in pairs a little below the apex of the shoot in the leaf-axils; 3 or 

 4 ins. long, f to i in. wide, densely crowded with blossom. Flowers \ in. 

 diameter, purplish lilac. 



Native of the Chatham Islands, where it was discovered in 1841 by 

 Dieffenbach. It is closely allied, and bears a considerable resemblance to 

 V. speciosa, from which it differs in its generally narrower, paler green 

 leaves, its round, not angled stems, and in the seed-vessel being about thrice 

 (instead of twice) the length of the calyx. It is, perhaps, only an outlying 

 form of V. speciosa and, like it, needs winter protection. 



V. ELLIPTIC A, Forster. 



(V. decussata, Aiton ; Bot. Mag., t. 242.) 



A tree up to 20 ft. high, or a shrub a few feet high, in a wild state; 

 branches round, with a downy strip above each leaf-axil, or wholly downy. 

 Leaves oval or obovate, narrowed abruptly at the apex to a short point; 

 \ to ij ins. long, j to ^ in. wide; standing out at right angles from the 

 stem, the base rounded and distinctly but shortly stalked, the stalk flattened 

 to the stem; pale green and smooth except that the margin is downy. 

 Racemes crowded near the ends of the branches, i to i^ ins. long, erect, 

 not or slightly downy. Flowers the largest among these shrubby veronicas, 

 being sometimes in. diameter, white, fragrant, four to twelve of them 

 appearing on a raceme. Seed-vessel twice the length of the sepals. 



Native of New Zealand, Chile, Tierra del Fuego, and the Falkland 

 Islands, whence it was, according to Aiton, introduced by Dr Fothergill in 

 1776. It is one of numerous instances showing the close affinity of the 

 flora of New Zealand with that of southern S. America. Lately reintroduced 

 from the Falkland Islands by Mr Clarence Elliott. 



V. HECTORI, Hooker fit. HECTOR'S SPEEDWELL. 



(Bot. Mag., t. 74I5-) 



A shrub 6 ins. to 2 ft. high, with stiffly erect, much-branched, round stems, 

 covered and hidden by closely flattened, scale-like leaves. The shoots of 

 the year, with their covering of leaves, are from ^ to \ in. thick. Leaves 

 ^Q to $ in. long, closely overlapping, each pair united by their margins at 

 the lower half, and thus entirely clasping the stem; tapered to a bluntish 

 apex; margins at first minutely hairy. Flowers j in. wide, white or pinkish, 

 crowded in a small terminal head. Sepals narrowly oblong, about as long 

 as the corolla-tube; margins minutely hairy. 



Native of the South Island of New Zealand, up to 8000 ft. It is one of 

 the very hardiest of New Zealand veronicas and makes an interesting small 

 evergreen, but is rather shy-flowering. Like V. lycopodioides it bears much 



