SCROPHULARIACE^ 231 



Dry pastures, borders of mountain woods, etc. June, July. 

 Distribution. — Central and Southern Europe, Western Asia; 

 very common in Switzerland and France. 



Veronica prostrata L. 



Allied to V. Teucrium, but smaller, and with narrow-lanceolate 

 leaves, slightly toothed or entire, and thickly covered with grey 

 pubescence. Flowers pale blue, rather small, in axillary and 

 opposite spikes. Calyx glabrous, very unequally divided. Stems 

 prostrate and then ascending. Rootstock almost woody. 



Dry hills and grassy places ; local. May, June. 



Distribution. — Central and Southern Europe. Rather rare in 

 Switzerland and Jura, and commoner in France. 



Veronica spicata L. 



Stems ascending and erect, 6-12 inches high, simple. Leaves 

 oblong or ovate in lower part of stem, downy and finely crenate or 

 toothed. Flowers bright blue, rarely pink or white, small, in a 

 dense terminal spike. Lobes of corolla narrower and less spreading 

 than in many species. 



Hilly pastures and dry, grassy places from the plains to the 

 Alpine region. Seen as high as 8500 feet near Mont Cenis by the 

 author ; most common in limestone districts. July to September. 



Distribution. — Central and Northern Europe, Northern and 

 Western Asia, but not within the Arctic Circle ; rare in Britain. 



Veronica fruticulosa (L.) Wulf. 



Stem woody below and procumbent, rooting, annual shoots 6-9 

 inches high. Leaves opposite, glabrous, fleshy, crowded with weak 

 hairs on the margin ; upper leaves lanceolate, obtuse, sessile, 

 entire or crenate ; lower leaves smaller, narrowed into a short 

 leaf-stalk. Raceme terminal, at length elongated. Flowers pink 

 or rose, veined with a darker tint. Capsule roundish ovate, com- 

 pressed, hairy towards apex, as long as the calyx. Style as long as 

 the capsule. Distinguished from the nearly allied V. saxatilis L. 

 by the glandular hairs, red flowers, and the longer leaves. 



Stony Alpine and sub-alpine places up to 8000 feet ; local. June 

 to August. 



Distribution. — Eastern, Central, and Western Alps, Southern 

 Jura, Pyrenees, Sierra Nevada ; rare in Switzerland except on the 

 Jura (Dole) and about Engelberg, on limestone. 



Veronica saxatilis Scop. (F. fruticans Jacq.). (Plate XVI.) 



Stem 2-6 inches high, ascending from a woody base. Leaves 

 oblong-lanceolate or oval, obtuse, entire or slightly crenate, thick, 

 coriaceous ; lower leaves smaller. Inflorescence covered with very 

 short, curved glandular hairs. Flowers large, handsome, blue with 



