VERONI'CA CHAM^ED'RYS EXAMINED. 25 



MOTHER. 



Well, we must see if the next genus will answer 

 better, " Calyx of one leaf, with two divisions. 

 " Blossom two petals." We need not go faiv 

 ther with this genus, for your flower has but one 

 petal ; let us try another. " Calyx, a cup ; with 

 " four divisions, each of them sharp. Blossom of 

 " one petal; tube of the blossom, nearly as long as 

 " the cup ; border flat, divided into four egg-shaped 

 " parts, the lowest division narrower than any of 

 " the others. Stamens two ; filaments thinner at 

 " the bottom than in the other parts ; anthers 

 " oblong. Germen compressed or flattened ; style 

 " thread-shaped, as long as the stamens ; summit 

 " undivided." 



EDWARD. 



That is exactly like mine, in every thing. 



MOTHER. 



It is your plant, my dear ; so that we need not 

 read any more at present. The genus is called 

 Veroni'ca, and is distinguished from all other ge- 

 nera of the same class and order by having the 

 lowest division of the blossom narrower than the 

 rest. We ought now to determine w r hat species of 

 Veroni'ca your plant belongs to, by comparing it 

 with the different descriptions given by Wither- 

 ing ; but as there are a great many species, and 

 some of them very like each other, I will tell you 



