26 DOWN OF LEAVES. 



which it is at once, that you may not be too much 

 puzzled. It is Veroni'ca Chamged'rys, called in 

 English Germander Speedwell [PLATE 3.] ; and 

 it is known from the other species by the bunches 

 of flowers rising from the sides of the main stem. 

 The leaves are egg-shaped, wrinkled, toothed at 

 the edges, and sitting, that is, growing close to 

 the stem, without any little stalks of their own ; 

 and the stem, through 'its whole length, has two 

 hairy lines, one on each side, but placed alternately 

 between the joints. 



EDWARD. 



The young leaves that are not yet opened look 

 as if they were covered with down. 



MOTHER. 



The leaves of several plants, especially when 

 young, are clothed with very fine hairs ; which 

 Grew, an English botanist who lived in the time 

 of Charles the Second, supposed to be intended for 

 their protection; the leaves being exceedingly ten- 

 der in their infant state : " So that they seem," 

 he says, " to be vested with a coat of frize, or to 

 " be kept warm, like young and dainty chickens, 

 " in wool." * 



EDWARD. 



I never thought it could be so easy to find out 

 the name of a plant. How plain the description 

 is ! But what was the first plant that you read 

 about, which had the summit divided ? 

 * Grew's Anatomy of Plants, p. 34. 



