202 



SCROPHULARIACEAE. 



VOL. III. 



7. Veronica serpyllifolia L. Thyme-leaved 

 Speedwell. Fig. 3802. 



Veronica serpyllifolia L. Sp. PL 12. 1753. 



Perennial, puberulent or glabrous; stems slender, 

 decumbent, branched, the branches ascending or 

 erect, 2'-io' high. Leaves all opposite and petioled, 

 or the uppermost sessile, oblong, oval, or ovate, i'-i' 

 long, crenulate or entire; flowers in short narrow 

 racemes at the end of the stem and branches; pedi- 

 cels equalling or longer than the calyx, usually shorter 

 than the bractlets; corolla blue with darker stripes, 

 sometimes white, 2" -4" broad ; capsule broader than 

 high, broadly obcordate or emarginate at the summit, 

 about i" long, about equalling the calyx; seeds flat, 

 numerous. 



In fields and thickets, Labrador to Alaska, south to 

 Georgia, New Mexico and California. Also in Europe, 

 Asia and South America. Ascends to 2600 ft. in the 

 Catskills. Paul's-betony. April-Aug. 



Veronica humifusa Dickson, differing in larger flow- 

 ers and more pubescent inflorescence, is apparently a 

 northern race of this species, also occurring in Europe. 



8. Veronica peregrina L. Purslane Speedwell. 

 Neckweed. Fig. 3803. 



Veronica peregrina L. Sp. PL 14. 1753. 



Annual, glabrous, or glandular-puberulent; stem 

 erect or ascending, simple or branched, 3'-! 2' high. 

 Leaves oblong, oval, linear or slightly spatulate, 3"-io" 

 long, obtuse or acutish, the lowest opposite, short- 

 petioled, or sessile, broader than the upper and usually 

 denticulate, the upper alternate, sessile, mostly entire, 

 each with a short-pedicelled flower in its axil ; flowers 

 nearly white, about i" broad; pedicels much shorter 

 than the calyx; capsule nearly orbicular, obcordate, 

 usually a little shorter than the calyx, l"-ii" high, 

 many-seeded, the seeds flat. 



In moist places, and common as a weed in cultivated 

 soil, Nova Scotia to British Columbia, south to Florida, 

 Mexico and California. Also in Central and South Amer- 

 ica, distributed as a weed in the Old World. May-Oct. 



9. Veronica arvensis L. Corn or Wall 

 Speedwell. Fig. 3804. 



Veronica arvensis L. Sp. PL 13. 1753. 



Annual, pubescent; stem slender, at first sim- 

 ple and erect, at length much branched and dif- 

 fuse, 3'-io' long. Lower leaves ovate or oval, 

 opposite, obtuse at both ends, crenate or crenu- 

 late, 2"-6" long, the lowest petioled ; upper leaves 

 sessile, alternate, ovate or lanceolate, acute or 

 acutish, commonly entire, each with a short pedi- 

 celled minute flower in its axil ; pedicels shorter 

 than the calyx; corolla blue, or nearly white, i" 

 broad or less ; capsule broadly obovate, obcordate, 

 i" high. 



In fields, woods and waste places and in culti- 

 vated soil, Nova Scotia to Ontario and Minnesota, 

 south to Florida, Kansas and Texas. Also in Ber- 

 muda. Naturalized from Europe. Native also of 

 Asia. March-Sept. 



