VERONICA. 215 



I O. Miuuta, called ' hirsuta ' in S. 985 : an ugly character- 

 istic to name the lovely little thing by. The distinct blue 

 lines in the petals might perhaps justify ' picta ' or ' lineata/ 

 rather than an epithet of size ; but I suppose it is Gerarde's 

 Minima, and so leave it, more safely named -as ' minute ' than 

 ' least.' For I think the next variety 

 may dispute the leastness. 



I I . Verna. D. 252. Mountains, 

 in dry places in early spring. Up- 

 right, and confused in the leafage, 

 which is sharp-pointed and close set, 

 much hiding the blossom, but of ex- 

 treme elegance, fit for a sacred fore- 

 ground ; as any gentle student will 

 feel, who copies this outline from the 

 Flora Danica, Fig. 5. 



1 2. Peregrina. Another extreme- 

 ly small variety, nearly pink in colour, 

 passing into bluish lilac and white. 

 American ; but called, I do not see 

 why, 'Veronique voyageuse,' by the 

 French and Fremder Ehrenpreis in 

 Germany. Given as a frequent Eng- 

 lish weed in S. 927. 



1 3. Alpina. Veronique des Alpes. 

 Gebirgs Ehrenpreis. Still minute ; 

 its scarcely distinct flowers form- 

 ing a close head among the leaves ; 

 round-petalled in D. 16, but sharp, 

 as usual, in S. 980. On the Norway 

 Alps in grassy pi. es ; and in Scotland 

 by the side of mountain rills ; but rare. 

 On Ben Nevis and Lachin y Gair (S.) 



i 4. Scutellata. From the shield-like shape of its seed-ves 

 sels. Veronique a Ecusson ; Schildfruchtiger Ehrenpreis. 

 But the seed-vessels are more heart shape than shield. March 

 Speedwell. S. 988, D. 209, in the one pink, in the other 

 blue ; but again in D. 1561, pink. 



