1920 



VERONICA 



VERONICA 



3. elliptica, Forst. ( T. (lecnssdta, Soland.). Remark- 

 able for its white tls., which are large for the genus, 

 ^2-■'4 in. across. Small or tree-like: Ivs. oval or obloujt?- 

 elliptic: racemes axillary, few-fld. : fls. white or flesh- 

 colored. New Zealand and antarctic regions. B.M. 

 2i'2. J.H. III. 35:225.— Not advertised in America now. 



4. speci6sa, R. Cunn. A half-hardy bushy branching 

 shrub, 3-6 ft. high. IStout and very smooth, the branches 

 angled : Ivs. ubovate - oblong, subsessile, thick and 

 smooth, 2-3 in. long: racemes axillary, densely fld. : 

 Ms. blue to violet, with rose, red or white varieties: 

 capsule exceeding calyx. Banks of streams, Now Zea- 

 land. B.M. 4057. R.H. 1844;(30. Andersonii, l.iudl. cV: 

 Paxt. { K. Rendersonii, Hort.), a hybrid of V. saUc- 

 i folia and speciosa, is a summer bedding plant and also 

 a greenhouse subject. It grows 18 in. high: Ivs. oblong, 

 sessile, entire, thickish; racemes axillary: 11s. bluish 

 violet. F.S. 5:058. Fig. 2058. 



Var. imperious, Boncharlat {]'. i)nperid.Us, Hort.), 

 has large, dense spikes of "amaranth-red " or crimson- 

 purple flowers. F.S. 22:2317. The excellent "Veronica 

 Purple Queen" is alleged to be a hybrid of T. Traversii 

 and r. Rendersonii and to have violet-blue fls. with a 

 white center. The handsome plate Gn. 45:906 shows no 

 trace of T. Tmrersil nor of white center. The plant is 

 close to r. spi'ciosn. In some catalogues V.Render- 

 sonil and V. subses^iUs are said to be synonymous, but 

 this is a gross error. 



5. salicifolia, Forst. Strong, half - hardy, glabrous 

 shrub with flattened branehlets, approaching a tree 

 in size and habit; Ivs. lanceolate, subsessile, entire, 

 smooth, 2-3 in. long, pointed: racemes axillary, densely 

 fld.: fls. bluish to white, large, pedicelled; capsules 

 large, longer than broad, pointed, exceeding the sepals. 

 New Zealand, where it is a graceful tree 10-15 ft. high. 

 Gn. 20, p. 107; 28, p. 293; 34, p. 349. 



0. macroc^rpa, Vahl. Young branches glabrous: Ivs. 

 sessile, lanceolate, entire, acute, smooth: racemes 

 densely fld.: fls. bluish to white: capsule ovate-oblong, 

 thrice exceeding the calyx. With habit and Ivs. of t'. 

 salicifolia. Mts.-Nfw Zealand. 



2658. Veronica Andersonii (X 3a). ^0. 4. 



7. Buxbaumii, Tenore. Prostrate annual, with elon- 

 gated slender pubescent stems, the lower branching 

 and often rooting: Ivs. ovate, subcordate, coarsely 

 crenate-serrate, pubescent, shortly petioled, % in. long, 

 the lower opposite, the upper alternate and similar: 

 racemes axillary: fls. small, blue, scattering, on long 

 pedicels, of long duration; capsule broader than long, 

 very widely notched, exceeded by the sepals. April- 

 Sept. Fields, middle and S. Europe, Asia and natural- 

 ized in N. Amer. F. 1840, p. 112. 



8. Syriaca, Roem. & Schult. Ascending, diffusely 

 branched puliescent herb, 0-12 in. high; Ivs. ovate or 

 o\''ate -lanceolate, incised or dentate, smooth ; lower 

 petiolate, upper subsessile, /^ in. long: raceme termi- 

 nal, slender, 4-0 in. long: fls. blue, with thread-like 

 pedicels % in. long: capsule broader than long, notched 

 two-thirds of its length, exceeding the sepals. June 

 S. W. Asia. R.H. 1897, p. 311. 



0. serpylliSolia, Linn. ( T^ alp^sfrts, Hort.). Thvme- 

 LEAVEL) Speedwell. St. Paul's Speedwell. Slender, 

 ascending, nearly smooth plant, growing irregularly in 

 clumps 2-4 ft. high, the base prostrate and rooting: 

 Ivs. ovate or oljlong, crenate, /i-M in. long, smooth, 

 variable: racemes loose, with conspicuous bracts; fls. 

 pediceled, whitish or pale blue with deeper stripes; 

 capsule wider than long, obtusely notched, exceeding 

 or equal to the sepals. May-July. Roadsides and fields, 

 Asia, Eu., N. Afr., N. and S. Amer. 



10. Virginica, Linn. {Leptdndra Virginica, Nutt.). 

 Great Virginian Speedwell. Culver's Root. Erect, 

 simple, somewhat yjubescent herb 2-0 ft. tall: Ivs. in 

 whorls of 4-0, lanceolate, 2-4 in. long, smooth above, 

 pubescent below, acutely serrate, short-petioled: ra- 

 cemes terminal, erect, long, dense: fls. many, white or 

 pale blue, short-pediceled: capsules longer than broad, 

 pointed, twice exceeding the calyx. Aug. -Sept. East- 

 ern states. — Free-growing herb. Likes rich soil and 

 nuich sun. While stiff and coarse, it is bold and stately. 

 Var. Jap6nica. Of similar character but a month 

 earlier. Japan. 



11. alpina, Linn. A slender, delicate plant growing 

 fr<.an a creeping stock, Vjrauching at the base, becoming 

 ascending or upright, the flower-stems often solitary, 

 2-0 in. high: Ivs. opposite, occasionally alternate, sui)- 

 sessile, elliptic or oblong, entire or dentate, about y^-l 

 in. long, of varying size, the lowest small, orbicular: ra- 

 ceme short, spiciform, dense: fls. small, blue or violet: 

 capsule 34 in. long, oblong, longer than broad, hairy, 

 exceeding the calyx. Mts. of Eu., middle and N. Asia 

 and alpine and arctic regions in America. B.M.2975.— 

 Adapted to the rock-garden. Blackens when dried. 



12. gentianoides, Vahl. Gentian- leaved Speedwell. 

 Erect, slender, tufted species 0-24 in. high, according 

 to soil and position, from creeping roots and leafy stems 

 below broadening above into a spicate raceme: Ivs. obo- 

 vate or oblong, some lanceolate or linear, thickish en- 

 tire or small crenate, smooth, lK-3 in. long; root-lvs. 

 more or less in rosettes; upper Ivs. bract-like, smaller 

 and narrower: raceme elongated, leafy, many-fld., 

 hairy; fls. pale blue, with darker streaks on long pedi- 

 cels: capsule nearly round, slightly notched, exceeding 

 the calyx. Wet alpine fields, S. E. Eu. B.M. 1002. -A 

 hardy species in any soil or location, shade-enduring 

 though not necessarily shade-loving, blooming early. 

 Prop, by division. Forms a mat and makes a good 

 ground cover for bare spots in midsummer. Also a 

 valuable border plant. One of the earliest. Var. foliis 

 variegatis is a dwarf form with variegated Ivs. used in 

 formal bedding. Another variety has longer fiower- 

 stems and larger fls. which are light lavender. Var. 

 Alba has white flowers. 



13. ripens, DC. Creeping Speedwell. Prostrate, 

 slender, compact plant growing in dense masses: Ivs. 

 %-% in. long, ovate, slightly crenate, shining green 

 and moss-like: racemes slender, few-fld.; fls. nearly 

 white, with a trace of blue: capsules broader than long, 

 deeply notched, exceeding the sepals. May. Forests of 

 Corsica. Hardy in Mass. — Grows in the sun. Will cover 

 the ground where grass does not grow, forming a sod in 

 a short time. Prefers moist corners but thrives on a 

 moderately dry soil. 



14. inc^na, Linn. ( r. cfrHr7/f?rt, Hort.). Hoary Speed- 

 well. Strong, upri.^xht or ascending, white-woolly 

 plant 12-18 in. high, with many sterile matted branches 

 and fewer fertile erect branches: Ivs. opposite, acute, 

 lower oblong, upper lanceolate, 1-3 in. long, white-to- 

 mentose: racemes erect, numerous, 3-0 in. long: fls. 

 many, blue, short-pediceled; capsule longer than broad, 

 thick, exceeding the woolly calyx. July-Sept. Fields 

 and mountain regions. N. Asia, and southwestern 

 Eu. -Resembles F. spicafa in habit. Has a good 



