VDROKICA SERPYLLIFOLIA. 171 



Specific Characters. — The species represented in Fig. 

 XLVI, abounds along road-sides, in hilly pastures, and old 

 grass-plots. The stem ascends 2-6' from a reclining, 

 branching base, with leaves opposite, slightly crenate, the 

 lower petiolate, roundish, the upper becoming oval, oblong, 

 and bract-like. The flowers form a loose, terminal raceme, 

 in which each is located in the axil of a bract. The corolla 

 is rotate (wheel-shaped), white, penciled with blue lines, 

 scarcely more than 1" in breadth ; and the pods roundish, 

 i^eticsely notched. 



The Name is Veronica m-pyllifblia (V. the Thyme- 

 leaved). The genus is said to have been dedicated to St. 

 Veronica * (vera, true, icon, image). It is extensive, embrac- 

 ing 150 species growing in the cooler parts of the earth. 

 The student will meet them everj^where, and may as profit- 

 ably analyze the following as the foregoing : 



Y. peregrlna (the Foreigner ; so it acts, but it is native), known as 

 Purslane Speedwell, Q or 0, 5-9' high, smoothisli, with oljlong, 

 toothed leaves, whitish wheel-shaped flowers, and notched pods. 



V. arvensis (the Field or Corn Speedwell) ®, hairy, with roundish 

 and ovate, crenate leaves, pale blue flowers, and obcordate pods. With 

 the first, it abounds in cultivated grounds. 



V. officinalis (the Officinal S.) a H in woods and pastures, ascends 

 6-12' from its decumbent base, with oval, obtuse, serrulate (finely ser- 

 rate) leaves, and the flowers in a terminal raceme. 



V. Scntalldiia will be recognized by its long lance-linear leaves 

 and axillary racemes with filiform stalks, growing in swampy places. 



■ * In ancient tradition. St. Veronica is representefl as the flanghter of Salome. 

 When she witnessed tlie procession to Calvary with Chri-^t hearins; his cross, she 

 wiped the drojjs of aijony from hi.s brow ; and thenceforth the image of the Saviour 

 was miracalouily imprinted on the napkin. 



