7 
Veronica. | LVI, SCROPHULARINEZ. 337 
the lowest opposite, without flowers, but the greater number alternate, 
each with a pedicel in its axil, usually shorter than the leaf, bearing a 
single small, blue, or pinkish-white flower. Sepals ovate or oblong, 
usually longer than the corolla. Capsule cémposed of 2 ovoid, erect 
lobes, each containing a small number of seeds, which are rough and 
convex on the outside, and hollowed out into a cup on the inner face. 
In waste and cultivated places ; a very common weed all over Europe 
and Russian Asia, and introduced into North America and other 
countries. Very abundant in Britain. Fl. the whole season. It varies 
in the shape of the sepals, and the size and colour of the corolla, and 
has been divided into three more or less marked varieties or races :— 
V. agrestis, with oblong sepals, and white or pink flowers; V. polita, 
Fries, with ovate sepals, and larger blue flowers; V. opaca, Fries, with 
spathulate sepals and fewer seeds; but none of the characters have 
sufficient constancy to justify their maintenance as distinct species. 
13. V. Buxbaumii, Ten. (fig. 762). Buaxbawm’s S.—This closely 
resembles V. agrestis, but is much larger in all its parts; the pedicels 
are longer, the flowers larger, of a bright blue, and the lobes of the 
capsule are broad and divaricate, so that the whole capsule when ripe 
is about 4 lines broad and only 2 long. V. persica, Poir. 
A weed of cultivation, like the other annual species, but much more 
abundant in southern Europe and central Asia than in central or 
northern Europe. Occurs rather frequently in Britain, but probably 
introduced with clover or other seeds. Fl. all summer. 
14. V. arvensis, Linn. (fig. 763). Well S.—A little, hairy annual, 
seldom 6 inches high, and often much smaller; the stems sometimes 
erect and simple, sometimes diffuse and branching at the base. Leaves 
almost sessile, opposite, ovate, and toothed, but not cut; the upper 
floral ones small, alternate, lanceolate, and entire. Flowers small and 
sessile, forming terminal, leafy racemes ; the sepals oblong or lanceolate, 
unequal in size ; the corolla very small, blue or nearly white. Capsule 
broad, much flattened,‘notched, each cell containing a small number of 
broad, flattened seeds. 
In cultivated and waste places, banks, old walls, &c., throughout 
Europe and Russian Asia. Abundant in Britain. Jl. the whole season. 
15. V. verna, Linn. (fig. 764). Vernal S.—A small, erect annual, 
seldom above 2 or 3 inches high, closely allied to V. arvensis, of which 
it has the almost sessile flowers; but the stem-leaves are deeply cut 
into 3, 5, or 7 narrow lobes as in V. triphyllos. 
A more southern species than V. arvensis, widely spread over central 
and southern Europe, and south Russian Asia to the Altai, but rare in 
the north. In Britain, it has been found ina few sandy fields in Norfolk 
and Suffolk. Fl. spring and summer. 
16. V. triphyllos, Linn. (fig. 765). Fingered S.—Stem spreading, 
or almost trailing, as in V. agrestis and V. hederefolia ; but the leaves 
are deeply cut into 3, 5, or 7 digitate lobes, and the capsule and seeds 
are more like those of V. arvensis. Flower-stalks rather longer than 
the floral leaves, which are much smaller and less divided than the 
stem-leaves. Corolla small, of adeep'blue. Capsule broad, with several 
thin but concave seeds. 
In cultivated and waste places, widely spread over central and 
southern Europe and western Asia, extending northward into southern 
Y 
