2 DIANDIlfA. MONOGYNIA. 



4. CHIONANTHUS. Nutt. Gen. 9. 1 



[Frbm the Gr. Chion, snow, and Anthos, a flower; from its snow-white petals.] a 



Cal. 4 cleft. Cor. deeply 4 parted; divisions long, linear. Drupe 1 seeded. iV^tif striated. 



C viRGiNiCA. Marshall. Peduncles mostly trifid, three flowered; leaves oval, entire. 



Vulgo— Fringe tree. Snow-drop tree. White ash. 



Ft. Beginning of June. Fr. mat. 



Hah. Hilly woodlands: Banks of the Brandy wine, near Worth's mill : rare. 



Obs. A small, branching tree, 12 to 20 feet high: much admired for its white, fringe-like flowers. This 1 

 appears to be the ftroad/M^ed variety, of Alton; or ?rto?!i«nMs, of Puish. Marshall says (Arbust. Ameri- 9 

 can.) the bark of the root bruised, and applied to fresh wounds, was accounted by the aborigines a specific, 1^ 

 ill curing them without suppuration: but such specifics are pretty much discarded, in modern surgery. 



b. Corolla monopetalous, irregular: Fruit capsular. 



5. VEHONICA. Nutt. Gen. 11. 

 [Etymology obscure: Boerhaave says, " Nomen habet a Veronice Principe fremina inventrice."] 

 Cal. 4 parted. Cor. rotate, 4 lobed; lower segment narrowest. Caps. 2 celled, obcordate. 

 §1. Flowers in a terminal raceme. 

 V. serpyllifolia. Sm. Cyclopad. Raceme somewhat spiked; leaves ovate, shghtly crenate, smooth. 

 ■FmZ§:o— Smooth Speedwell. Paul's Betony. Thyme-leaved Veronica. 

 Fl. Middle of May. Fr. mat. Middle of June. 



Hab. Fields and joadsides: common. 2 to 6 inches high: flowers pale blue, striped. 



§2. Flowers in lateral racemes. 



V OFFICINALIS. Sm. Cycl. Racemes pedunculate; leaves obovate, hairy;' stem procumbent, rough-haired- 

 Vidgo — Common, or Male Speedwell. 



Fl. Last of May, and after. Fr. mat. Last of July, and after. 



Hab. Di-y, sandy banks: woodlands, and roadsides: common. About 1 foot long: flowers pale blue, veined. 

 Obs. Linnaeus and Schcepf say it is vulnerary and tonic; but it is probably little worth, as a medicine. 

 V. ANAGALLis. Sm. Cycl. Racemes opposite, long, loose; leaves lanceolate, serrate; stem erect, smooth- 

 Vulgo — Long-leaved Brooklime. Pimpernel. Water Speedwell. 



Fl- Beginning of June, and after. Fr. mat. Begjinning of August, and after. 



Hab. Ditches and rivulets: frequent. 12 to 18 inches high: flowers blue. 



V. BECCABUNGA. Sm. Cycl Plant smooth, lucid green; leaves oval, fiat, crenate; stem creeping. 

 F«?g-o— Brooklime. Wallink. 



FL Last of May, and after. Fr. mat. Last of July, and after. 



Hab. Spring headsj and rivulets: frequent. 9 to 18 inches long: flowers blue. 



Obs. Continnes green through the winter; and is closely alhed, in habit, with the foregoing. The ex- 

 firessed juice is a popular remedy for croup, or cynanche trachealis: and certain Empirics, among the 

 Germans, prescribe the herb, (under the name of JVallink,) in cachectic cases — to be taken in infusion- 

 Its virtues, however, are believed to be very trifling, if any. 



§ 3 . Floicers solitary. 

 V. AGRESTis.' Pilose; branches assurgent; stem leaves ovate, crenate; floral leaves lanceolate, entire. 

 Fl: Beginning of May. Fr- mat. Beginning of June. 



Hab. Fields, roadsides, and exsiccated swamps: frequent. 2 to 6 inches high: flowers pale blue, caducous. 



Obs. I have been a good deal puzzled with this species. Dr. Baldwin and Mr. Schweinitz both pro- 

 nounced it V. agrestis; otherwise I should unhesitatingly have set it down as the V. arvensis of Smith, and 

 Elliott. The lower, or stem leaves are opposite, ovate-cordate, incised-crenate; the floral leaves are sub- 

 sessile, alternate, lanceolate, entire, or sometimes incised near the base; flowers on short peduncles, not one- 

 third the length of the leaves (See Smith); corolla shorter than the calyx, (See £11.) and remarkably cadu- 

 cous: capsule ciliate. There is some confusion and difficulty in the case, which I am unable to elucidate. 



V. PEREGRiNA. Sm. Cycl. Flowers sessile; leaves oblong, obtuse, toothed or entire, smooth; stem erect. 



Vulgo — Knot-grass-leaved, or Purslane^leaved Speedwell. Neckwfeed. 



Fl. Beginning of May. Fr. mat. Beginning of June. 



Hab- Gardens, and other cultivated grounds: common. 4 to 8 inches high: flowers white, small. 



Obs. This species is said to have been found useful in some scrophulous aff'ections; and hence the name, 

 "Neckweed." See Barton's Med- and Pliys. Journal, Vol. 3, part 1. p. 24. A!! the species here enume- 

 rated have been supposed to be naturalized foreignars; (See JVatt. & Elliott.) thoughDl"- J:?i«lth {Oyclopced.} 

 notes them all, except V. agrestisj as natives of ou; country, 



