Veronica.] LVI. SCROPHULARINE^E. 335 



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- 

 sule shorter than the calyx, broad and rather thick, and notched at 

 the top. 



In wet ditches, and along streams and ponds, in Europe, Russian and 



