216 SCBOPHULAKIACE.E. 



I used to imagine that the idea of the efficacy of our pretty 

 Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis), was past for ever, along with 

 the prejudices in favour of Lungwort, and Saxifrage granules ; 

 but I find that homoeopathic physicians still prescribe Eu- 

 phrasia for ailing eyes, and I was rejoiced to see a friend's 

 visual organs strengthen and brighten under the influence of 

 minute doses of the pretty plant. 



The Cornish Moneywort (Sibthorpia europsea), is a small 

 trailing plant with round hairy leaves, closely resembling those 

 of the Marsh Pennywort or White-rot ; its flowers are solitary, 

 and pale pink. 



The next family is a very attractive one. The Speedwells 

 have a wheel-shaped corolla instead of a gaping one, which is 

 four-cleft ; they have two stamens and one stigma. Some of 

 the family bear their flowers on terminal spikes, some on lateral 

 spikes or clusters, and some have the flowers solitary. 



On the cliffs near Clevedon Fanny found one of the scarcer 

 species the Spiked Speedwell (Veronica spicata). Its stem is 

 simple, its leaves getting narrower as they ascend the spike. 

 The flowers are deep blue, and closely packed together. The 

 plant is about a span high, and the narrow spike occupies a 

 third of the stem. 



There is a Welsh Speedwell (V. hybrida), with a thicker 

 spike, but so nearly resembling this that it can hardly be 

 regarded as a separate species. 



The Shrubby Speedwell has pinkish blossoms veined with 

 lilac ; the cluster is terminal, and many-flowered ; but it is 

 seldom that many blossoms open at once, so that it looks less 

 gay than the Spiked species. It lives among the Scotch moun- 

 tains. My specimen is from a garden plant. 



The Rock Speedwell (V. saxatilis), was given me along with 

 the Shrubby Speedwell ; it grew by its side on the rockwork 

 of the florist. It is also an inhabitant of the Highland rocks, 

 and its spare cluster of large brilliant blue flowers with crimson 

 centres must be a great ornament to them. 



