314 



BRITISH FLOWERING PLANTS 



Pia.202.- 



V. arvensis, and V. triphyllos. In the second the seeds 

 are hollowed out on the ventral side and wrinkled, as in V. 

 Buxbaumii, V. agrestis, V. polita, and V. hedercefolia. 

 V. Chamsedrys. — This species is remarkable for having 

 the hairs collected in two rows running down the stem 

 from between each pair of leaves. The flowers are 

 homogamous and adapted to flies. 

 They are blue, or sometimes 

 smaller and pinkish, with darker 

 lines, and are collected into showy 

 racemes. The nectar is protected 

 by hairs. The pistil projects 

 straight from the flower, while 

 the two stamens diverge on each 

 side. The lower lobe of the 

 coroUa forms a convenient alight- 

 ing stage for insects, which must 

 inevitably touch the stigma. The 

 -veroniaccham^drys. g^ ^-^^^^^ ^j^^ stamens and prcsscs 



the anthers against its body, dusting itself with pollen, 

 some of which it would probably deposit on the stigma 

 of the next flower visited. The stamens become thinner 

 towards the base, and thus yield more easily to the 

 pressure of the insect. According to Kerner, the flowers 

 open from 5 to 6 a.m. and close from 5 to 6 P.M. 



V. montana. — The arrangement resembles that of 

 V. Chamcedrys. The plant is softly hairy. 



V. officinalis. — The flowers are small, nearly sessile, 

 blue with darker lines, or sometimes pale pink. The 

 stamens are even thinner at the base than in the pre- 

 ceding species. The general arrangement is as in V. 

 Chamcedrys. Stapley found some of the flowers pro- 

 tandrous. On the other hand, Kirchner found those 

 near Stuttgart distinctly protogynous, and Warnstorf 

 says the same of those at Ruppin. The plant is hairy. 

 It seems probable that some plants have entire leaves, 

 in order to facilitate the removal of rain and dew ; while 

 others have the edges toothed when the object is to 

 retain moisture. The teeth seem to be an advantage 



