Veronica. } LVI. SCROPHULARINE 2. 335 
o 
creeping, very much branched, forming a small, flat, dense, leafy tuft ; 
the flowering branches ascending, 2 to 4 or 5 inches high. Leaves 
nearly sessile, ovate, seldom half an inch long, very slightly crenate, 
and usually glabrous as well as the rest of the plant. Flowers very 
small, of a pale blue or white, with darker streaks, sessile or shortly 
stalked, in terminal spikes or racemes; but the bracts, especially the 
lower ones, are rather large and leaf-like, so as to give the inflorescence 
much the appearance of that of the annual Veronicas. Capsule broad, 
and often rather deeply notched. 
In pastures, fields, and waste places, in Europe and Russian and 
central Asia, from the Mediterranean to the Arctic Circle, and ascend- 
ing to high alpine summits. Abundant in Britain. Fl. spring and 
summer. A variety, V. humifusa, Dicks., with slightly downy stems, 
occurs occasionally in the Scotch mountains. 
The American V. peregrina, an annual otherwise much resembling 
some varieties of V, serpyllifolia, has occasionally appeared in England 
and Ireland as an introduced weed. 
5. V. officinalis, Linn. (fig. 754). Common S.—Stems perennial at 
the base, much branched, creeping, and rooting at the nodes, extend- 
ing sometimes to a foot or more, but usually about half that length. 
Leaves obovate or oblong, toothed, and hairy. Spikes or racemes like 
those of the preceding species, but hairy, and they are axillary, not 
terminal; for although sometimes proceeding from the other axils, 
they may appear terminal before the end of the branch has grown out, 
yet they are never really so. Flowers nearly sessile, rather small, pale 
blue or rarely flesh-coloured. Capsule obovate or obcordate, broader 
than it is long. 
In woods, and rather dry bushy pastures, throughout Europe and 
Russian and central Asia, and now naturalised in North America. 
Extends over the whole of Britain. Fl. the whole summer. [V. hirsuta, 
Hopk., is a small hairy form, with narrower leaves, found in Ayr- 
shire. | 
6, V. Anagallis, Linn. (fig. 755). Water S.—Rootstock shortly 
creeping, the stems erect and branching, from 6 inches to 2 feet high, 
often thick or succulent, glabrous as well as the whole plant. Leaves 
lanceolate, broad or narrow, sessile or clasping the stem at the base, 
more or less toothed. Racemes numerous, axillary, and opposite (in 
the axils of both leaves of each pair). Flowers rather small, pedicellate, 
pale blue. Capsules ovate, less flattened than in some species, and 
slightly notched at the top. 
In wet ditches, and along streams and ponds, over Europe, Russian 
and central Asia, and North America, but not an Arctic plant. Extends 
all over Britain, to the northern extremity of Scotland. Fl. summer. 
7. V. Beccabunga, Linn. (fig. 756). Brooklime.—Stems procumbent 
or floating at their base, rooting at the nodes; the flowering branches’ 
ascending, thick and succulent, and, as well as the whole plant, quite 
glabrous. Leaves shortly stalked, ovate or oblong, obtuse, slightly 
toothed, and rather thick. Flowers small, blue or rarely pink, in 
Opposite axillary racemes, often scarcely longer than the leaves. Cap- 
a shorter than the calyx, broad and rather thick, and notched at 
the top. 
In it ditches, and along streams and ponds, in Europe, Russian and 
