Veronica.] LVI. SCROPHULARINEiE. 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 composed 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). Buxbaum'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. 783). Wall 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. Fl. 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 in a 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. hedercefolia ; 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 a deep 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 



