BLUE AND PURPLE 315 



AMERICAN BROOKLIME: 



Veronica americana. 



Figwort Family. May Sept. 



A smooth-stemmed plant, 6-15 inches high, its 

 stem lying partly on the ground, rooting from 

 lower joints; found on borders of brooks, 

 ponds, damp places. Newfoundland to Alaska 

 and southward to Virginia. 



FLOWERS Small, quickly fading; in color laven- 

 der-blue, with slightly darker mark- 

 ings, 4-lobed, the lower lobe narrower 

 than the others; borne in loose, termi- 

 nal clusters. 



LEAVES Opposite, long oval or oblong lance- 

 shaped, toothed, short-stemmed. 



VIRGINIA, or COMMON, DAY-FLOWER: 



Commelma virginica. 



Spiderwort Family. June Sept. 



A plant with smooth, branched stems 18-36 

 inches high, found in moist, shady places. 

 New York to Florida, west to Michigan, Kan- 

 sas and Texas. 



FLOWERS Violet-blue, about 1 inch broad, of 3 

 divisions, one of which is small and in- 

 conspicuous. 

 LEAVES Lance-shaped, sheathing. A small leaf 



more or less encloses flower cluster. 

 C. hirtella is similar to the preceding, but 

 may be distinguished by its leaves, which are 

 brown-bearded where they sheath the flower 

 stem. 



