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OR, BOTANICAL DICTIONARY. - 



VER 



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tall are proper to plant in the borders of ornamental planta- 

 tions ; but those with trailing branches are fit for banks or 

 irregular shady slopes. They are mostly hardy, and require 

 only to be weeded and transplanted every second or third 

 year. The annual sorts may be propagated by seeds sown 

 in autumn, and they will maintain their ground, if their seeds 

 be permitted to scatter. All of them will thrive much better 

 if planted in a shady border, than where they may be con- 

 tinually exposed to the sun, as in shade their flowers will 



continue longer in beauty. The species are, 



* Spiked. 



1 . Veronica Sibirica ; Siberian Speedwell. Spikes termi- 

 nating ; leaves five to nine in a whorl, lanceolate, sessile. 

 Stem somewhat rough-haired; root perennial; corollets blue, 

 with an oblong tube, and small acute border. It flowers in 

 July and August, and is a native of Siberia. 



2. Veronica Virginica ; Virginian Speedwell. Spikes ter- 

 minating; leaves in fours or fives. Stems erect, four or five 

 feet high, terminated by long slender spikes of white flowers. 

 It varies with blush-coloured flowers. Native of Virginia, 

 and Japan. 



3. Veronica Spuria; Bastard Speedwell. Spikes termi- 

 nating; leaves lanceolate, equally serrate. Root perennial, 

 sending out many offsets; stems a foot high, with very nar- 

 row lanceolate leaves, terminated by long spikes of blue 

 flowers, which appear in June and July. There is also a 

 rariety with a flesh-coloured flower. Native of Siberia and 

 Germany. 



4. Veronica Maritima ; Sea-side Speedwell. Spikes termi- 

 nating; leaves subcordate-lanceolate, unequally serrate. 

 Stems two feet high, erect, simple, leafy, round below, quad- 

 rangular above, finely downy, though occasionally smooth in 

 gardens; the flowers are of a bright blue, and appear in July. 

 It varies like the preceding and following species, with leaves 

 opposite, in threes or in fours; also with blue, bluish, flesh- 

 coloured, and white flowers. Native of sea-coasts, in Europe. 



5. Veronica Loagifolia ; Long-leaved Speedwell. Spikes 

 terminating; leaves lanceolate, acuminate, serrate, ending in 

 the petiole. Steins a foot and half high ; leaves two and a 

 half inches long; the stems are terminated by long spikes of 

 blue flowers, which appear in June. Native of Germany, 

 Austria, and Russia. 



6. Veronica Incana; Hoary Speedwell. Spikes terminat- 

 ing; leaves opposite, crenate, obtuse. Stem erect, tomentosu ; 

 flowers deep blue, appearing in June and July, Native of the 

 rocky summits of mountains in Russia. 



7. Veronica Spicata: Spiked Speedwell. Spike terminat- 

 ing; leaves opposite, bluntish, crenate, serrulate, quite en- 

 tire at the tip; stem ascending, simple. Root perennial ; 

 corolla deep blue, with the orifice of the tube bearded. Dr. 

 Withering remarks, that the leaves are narrower in propor- 

 tion to their length, and more pointed than in the next spe- 

 cies; that the stamina are much longer than the corolla; and 

 that the antherae, as well as that, are blue. In gardens it be- 

 comes much more luxuriant: there the stalks rise a foot and 

 half high, but never branch ; the lower leaves are an inch 

 and half long, and three-quarters of an inch broad- Native 

 of Europe and Siberia, in dry calcareous pastures, flowering 

 from July to September. Its bright blue flowers agreeably 

 enliven the barren places where it generally grows. It has 

 been observed in several closes, adjoining to Newmarket 

 heath beyond Rottesham; among the furze near Hare Park, 

 about Horsehea'.h Hall, and on the walls of St. John's 

 College, Cambridge ; on Cavenham Heath ; near Bury, in 

 Suffolk ; near Penny-bridge, Lancashire ; and about Pen- 

 zance, in Cornwall. 



VOL. n. 127. 



8. Veronica Hybrida; Welsh Speedwell. Spikes terminat- 

 ing ; leaves opposite, elliptic, obtuse, unequally crenate, ser- 

 rate ; stem nearly upright. The difference between this and 

 the preceding is not easily defined, and yet they seem to be 

 distinct, though some have thought otherwise. Found near 

 Cartmel Fells, Lancashire, and in different parts of North 

 Wales. 



9. Veronica Pinnata; Winged-leaved Speedwell. Spikes 

 terminating ; leaves pinnatifid, subfascicled ; segments fili- 

 form, divaricating. Root perennial ; stems diffused, erect ; 

 flowers blue, appearing in July. Native of Siberia. 



10. Veronica Laciniata ; Jagged-leaved Speedwell. Ra- 

 cemes subspiked, terminating; leaves pinnatifid, laciniate. It 

 flowers in June and July. Native of Siberia. 



11. Veronica Incisa; Cut-leaved Speedwell. Spikes termi- 

 nating; leaves lanceolate, gash-pinnattfid, smooth. It flowers 

 in July and August. Native of Siberia. 



12. Veronica Catarractse. Racemes terminating, flexuose; 

 stem suffruticose ; leaves lanceolate, serrate ; stem somewhat 

 shrubby. Native of New Zealand. 



13. Veronica Elliptica; Elliptic-leaved Speedwell. Ra- 

 cemes lateral; stem shrubby; leaves elliptic, quite entire. 

 Native of New Zealand. 



14. Veronica Macrocarpia; Long-fruited Speedwell. Ra- 

 cemes subterminating, erect; leaves lanceolate, quite entire, 

 smooth, flat. Stem shrubby; branches round, smooth, joint- 

 ed, covered with a brown bark ; tube of the corolla twice as 

 long as the calix. Native of New Zealand. 



15. Veronica Salicifolia; Willow-leaved Speedwell. Ra- 

 cemes lateral, nodding; leaves lanceolate, quite entire. Stem 

 shrubby; branches round, smooth, jointed, marked with rings 

 after the leaves are fallen, the thickness of a goose-quill. 

 Native of New Zealand. 



16. Veronica Parviflora; Small-lowered Speedwell. Ra- 

 cemes subterminating; leaves linear-lanceolate, quite entire, 

 smooth, one to two inches long; stem shrubby; branches 

 round, smooth. Native of New Zealand. 



17. Veronica Officinalis; Common Speedwell. Spikes late- 

 ral, peduncled ; leaves opposite, rugged ; stem procumbent. 

 Root perennial, fibrous; stems trailing, branched, forming 

 broad tufts, or scattered patches. The whole plant hairy. 

 Corolla tube half as long as the calix, white; border pale 

 purule, or faint violet, with deeper veins or streaks. The 

 leaves have a weak, not disagreeable smell, and a bitterish 

 taste: they have been much recommended, especially in Ger- 

 many antf Sweden, as a substitute for Tea, than which it is 

 more astringent and less grateful. As a medicine, the Com- 

 mon Speedwell has had a considerable share of fame, parti- 

 cularly in disorders of the lungs, as coughs, asthmas, con- 

 sumptions, &c. in which it was said not only to prove ex- 

 pectorant, but to heal internal ulcers. The smell of the 

 leaves is dissipated in drying; they give it over, however, in 

 distillation with water, but without yielding any separable 

 oi! : they are bitterish and roughish to the taste, and an ex- 

 tract made from them by rectified spirit, is moderately as- 

 tringent. A decoction of the whole plant is good to remove 

 obstructions. It operates by urine, and consequently it 

 serviceable in the jaundice, and beginning of dropsies. A 

 slight tincture or infusion of it promotes perspiration, and is 

 good in feverish complaints. The juice, boiled into a syrup 

 with honey, is excellent in asthmatic complaints, and other 

 disorders of the lungs; and outwardly applied, is a cure for 

 the itch, and other cutaneous disorders. A strong decoction 

 given as a clyster, with the addition of a little oil, eases 

 those colicky pains which arise from the stone or gravel ; an 

 infusion of the leaves, drank constantly in the manner of tea, 



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