162 



Varying, in number of leaves in whorl (five, reducing to four 

 or three), in inflorescence of one or several racemes, and in 

 leaves from lanceolate to nearly ovate, pubescent to nearly or 

 quite glabrous beneath. 



Flowering from mid-July to early September, and soon ripen- 

 ing fruit. 



Sandy or loam soil, swales and moist meadows, in potassic, 

 magnesian and calcareous soils, frequent above the Fall-line; 

 in western Long Island, and occasional in Middle district of 

 New Jersey. Ranges from Connecticut and Ontario to Missis- 

 sippi, Minnesota and Texas. 



Veronica L. Sp. PI. 9. 1753 

 Type species, Veronica officinalis L., of Europe. 



Flowers solitary, axillary, frequently approximating 

 so as to form a terminal raceme. Leaves alter- 

 nate through the inflorescence. 

 Filaments not exceeding the lobes of the corolla. 

 Bracts leaf-like or slightly reduced. Plants 

 less than 3 dm. tall. 

 Pedicels longer than the sepals, usually exceed- 

 ing the bracts. Sepals' ovate. Capsule 

 turgid. Seeds few, 1.3-3 mm. long, con- 

 vex-arched, roughened. Leaves petioled 

 (rarely the uppermost sessile), primarily 

 palmately 5-7 nerved, the mid vein 

 usually with some radiating pinnate 

 veins; mainly alternate, the lower some- 

 times opposite. 

 Leaves broadly cordate, 3-5 lobed, the 

 lobes rounded. Sepals broadly ovate, 

 conspicuously ciliate. Capsule verj^ 

 turgid, scarcely notched at apex, only 

 slightly 2-lobed. Seeds 2.5-3 mm. long, 



blackish. i. V. hederaefolia. 



Leaves ovate, serrate to dentate. Sepals 

 more shortly ciliate. Capsule slightly 

 flattened, deeply notched at apex, thus 

 strongly two-lobed. Seeds 1.3-1.5 

 mm. long, brown. 

 Petals not exceeding the ovate sepals. 

 Capsule-lobes rounded, the most 

 distal point of each about midway 

 between the style and the lateral 

 margin. 2. V. agreslis. 



