CLASS II. ORDER 1. J VERONICA. 13 



round, ascending, weak. Leaves opposite, large, hairy, glossy, some- 

 times pointed at the extremity, equally serrated, with the footstalks 

 about their own length. Racemes lax, of few flowers. Calyx slightly 

 hairy, its segments united in pairs on opposite sides of the large, com- 

 pressed, membranaceous, and veiny capsule, the thiu edges of which 

 are fringed with fine jointed white hairs. Corolla light blue, streaked 

 with purple or reddish veins, lower segment lighter coloured, small 

 and narrow. 



Habitat. Woods and moist situations ; not very common. 

 Perennial; flowering in May and June. 



How this species, so distinct in its characters, should ever have been 

 mistaken for F. chanuedrys, is somewhat remarkable; its general ap- 

 pearance, as well as specific characters, are so obviously different. 



*** Flowers axillary, solitary. (Root annual.) 



13. F. ayres'tis, (Fig. 19.) green procumbent Field Speedwell Ger- 

 mander Chickiveed. Stem procumbent, leaves opposite, petiolated, 

 cordato-ovate, deeply serrated, as long as the flower-stalks, seg- 

 ments of the calyx oblong obtuse, capsule of two tumid keeled 

 lobes, each cell containing about six seeds. 



Borrer, in English Botany Supplement, t. 2603. English Flora, 

 vol. i. p. 24. Lindley, Synopsis, p. 189. Hooker, British Flora, vol. 

 i. p. 7. 



Stem from three to twelve inches long, branching at the base. 

 Leaves ovate, deeply serrated, generally opposite, and on the lateral 

 branches frequently shorter than the flower-stalks. Calyx segments, 

 oblong, obtuse, longer than the capsule, dilating and becoming veiny 

 as the fruit advances to maturity. Flowers small, bright blue. Seed 

 large, oval, wrinkled, and cupped. Whole plant scattered with hairs, 

 varying considerably in size, and in the length of its flower-stalks. 

 We have specimens from Crab Marsh, Wisbech, nearly smooth, the 

 leaves broad, their stalks dilated and channelled above, the two lower 

 segments of the calyx much larger than the upper, and serrated. 



Habitat. In waste and cultivated places common. 



Annual ; flowering during the summer months. 



14. V.poli'ta, (Fig. 20.) grey procumbent Field Speedwell. Stem 

 procumbent, leaves petiolated, cordato-ovate, deeply serrated, 

 shorter than the flower-stalks, segments of the calyx ovate, acute, 

 capsule of two tumid lobes, cells containing many seeds. 



Veronica agrestis, English Botany, t. 783. V. polita of Fries ir. 

 English Botany Supplement, t. 2603. Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. 

 p. 8. 



Root small. Stem from three to twelve inches long, branching at the 

 base. Leaves on the lower part of the stem opposite, above alternate, 



