216 PROSERPINA. 



11 In flooded meadows, common." (D.) A spoiled and scat- 

 tered form ; the seeds too conspicuous, but the flowers very 

 delicate, hence ' Gratiola minima ' in Gesner. The confused 

 ramification of the clusters worth noting, in relation to the 

 equally straggling fibres of root. 



I 5. Spicata. S. 982 : very prettily done, representing the 

 iuside of the flower as deep blue, the outside pale. The top 

 of the spire, all calices, the calyx being indeed, through all 

 the veronicas, an important and persistent member. 



The tendency to arrange itself in spikes is to be noted as a 

 degradation of the veronic character ; connecting it on one 

 side with the snapdragons, on the other with the ophryds. 

 In Veronica Ophrydea, (C. 2210,) this resemblance to the 

 contorted tribe is carried so far that " the corolla of the ve- 

 ronica becomes irregular, the tube gibbous, the faux (throat) 

 hairy, and three of the lacinise (lobes of petals) variously 

 twisted." The spire of blossom, violet-coloured, is then close 

 set, and exactly resembles an ophryd, except in being sharper 

 at the top. The engraved outline of the blossom is good, and 

 very curious. 



I 6. Gentianoides. This is the most directly and curiously 

 imitative among the shall we call them * histrionic ' types 

 of Veronica. It grows exactly like a clustered upright gen- 

 tian ; has the same kind of leaves at its root, and springs 

 with the same bright vitality among the retiring snows of the 

 Bithynian Olympus. (G. 5.) If, however, the Caucasian 

 flower, C. 1002, be the same, it has lost its perfect grace in 

 luxuriance, growing as large as an asphodel, and with root- 

 leaves half a foot long. 



The petals are much veined ; and this, of all veronicas, has 

 the lower petal smallest in proportion to the three above 

 " triplo aut quadruple minori." (G.) 



I 7. Stagnarum. Marsh- Veronica. The last four families 

 we have been examining vary from the typical Veronicas not 

 only in their lance-shaped clusters, but in their lengthened, 

 and often every way much enlarged leaves also : and the two 

 which we now will take in association, 17 and 18, carry the 

 change in aspect farthest of any, being both of them true 



