Veronica.] scrophulaeiace,e. 339 



A variety with the flowers of a delicate rose-colonr streaked with purple lines is 

 not uncommon about Ryde. 



5. V. scutellata, L. Marsh Speedwell. Eacemes alternate 

 axillary, pedicels divaricate reflexed in fruit, leaves linear some- 

 what toothed, stem recUning. E. B. xi. t. 783. Sm. E. Fl. i. p. 

 21. Br. Fl. p. 290. 



In spongy turfy bogs, wet meadows, and by the sides of pools and ditches ; rare. 

 Fl.Jmie — August. 2f.. 



E. Med. — In boggy meadows near the Wilderness. 



W. Med. — In boggy meadows between Stroud farm and Cridmore. In a 

 swampy pool amongst long grass near Hampstead farm, in tolerable plenty. 

 Edges of a pool, on a common called Goldens, in the parish of Freshwater. By 

 the stream a little above the mill at Lower Knighton, W. Wilson Saunders, Esq. .'.'.' 



Herb smooth when growing in wet places, " becoming hairy or even hoary in 

 dry or barren ground " (Sm.) Root very long, fibrous and creeping. Stem simple 

 or branched, decumbent, rooting at the joints, at last ascending, from a few inches 

 to a foot or upwards in length, slender and brittle. Leaves opposite, sessile, 

 smooth and shining, linear-lanceolate, acute, their edges a little incurved, with 

 very distant glandular and shallow tooth-like serratures, so small that the leaves 

 seem at first sight entire. Stipules none. Flowers small, flesh-coloured in darker 

 lines, in axillary, alternate, panicled racemes longer than the leaves. Pedicels 

 divaricating, reflexed in fruit, each with a linear bractea at the base. Sepals 

 ovate-lanceolate, much shorter than the corolla. Capsule pale brown, of 2 round- 

 ish shield-like lobes (scutellata), much compressed, many-seeded. Seeds in a 

 double row, " orbicular, rugged or minutely dotted" (Leighton). 



6. V. officinalis, L. Common or Male Speedivell. " More or 

 less pubescent, racemes spicate, leaves shortly stalked ovate-ser- 

 rated, stem procumbent creeping, capsule obovate triangular trun- 

 cated or with a wide shallow notch." — Br. Fl. p. 291. E. B. t. 

 765. 



On sandy banks and pastures, in dry sterile woods and heathy ground ; not 

 unfrequent. Fl. May — August. 2^. 



§§ Raceme terminal, subspicate. Root perennial. 



7. V. serpyllifolia, L. Thyme-leaved Speedwell. Paul's Be- 

 tony. " Raceme somewhat spiked many-flowered, leaves broadly 

 ovate or elliptical very obtuse slightly crenate, capsules inversely 

 reniform as long as the style."— Br. Fl. p. 289. E. B. t. 1076. 



In open sandy fields and waste places, in moist pastures, woods, and damp 

 spots by roadsides, ditches, &c. ; everywhere. Fl. May, June. If. 



§§§ Raceme terminal, subspicate. Root annual. 



8. V. arvensis, L. Wall Speedwell. " Leaves cordate-ovate 

 serrated, the lower ones petiolate, the upper or bracteas sessile 

 lanceolate quite entire longer than the flowers, pedicels shorter 

 than the calyx, capsules broadly obcordate compressed emarginate 

 with roundish ciliated lobes, seeds 12 — 14 compressed flat on the 

 one side, stem ascending." — Br. Fl. p. 292. E. B. t. 734. 



In dry barren or sandy pastures, on walls, hedgebanks and amongst corn ; 

 pretty frequent. Ft. March — June. 0. 



E. Med. — N ot uncommon about Ryde ; in a field between Quarr abbey and 

 Fishbourne. Abundant on walls and in cornfields about Sandown, Luccombe 

 and Shanklin. Above Sandown bay. 



