65 



VERONICA DIOSM^FOLIA. 



(Diosma-leaved Speedwell.) 



LINNEAN SYSTEM. AT NATURAL ORDER. 



No. 106. 



DIANDRIA MONOGYNIA, SCROPHUL ARIACE^E. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Veronica. (Linn.) Calyx 4 raro 5 partitus, campanulatus vel compressus. Corolla tubo 

 brevissimo, vel rarius elongato, limbo 4-partito, laciniis omnibus integerrimis patentibus planis 

 supremo latiore. Stamina 2, ad latera latinise corollinse supremsa sita, divergentia, inferiorum 

 vestigia nulla. Antherae biloculares, loculis apice confluentibus. Stigma vix incrassatum. 

 Capsulce valvulae medio septiferse vel bipartibiles. Semina nuda. 



Herbce, suffrutices, fruticesve. Folia opposita, alterna vel verticillata. Inflorescentia axillaris, 

 racemosa vel spicata. Flores ssepius coerulese vel albee. Benth, Scroph. Indie, p. 44. 



Calyx 4 rarely 5 parted, bell-shaped, or compressed. Corolla with a very short tube, or 

 rarely elongated, limb divided into four parts, all the divisions entire, spreading flat, having the 

 upper division the broadest. Stamens 2, affixed to the side of the upper divisions of the corolla, 

 diverging, no remains of the lower ones. Anthers 2-celled, cells confluent at the apex. Stigma hardly 

 incrassate, valves of the capsule septiferous in the middle, or divided into two parts. Seeds, naked. 



Herbaceous plants, or suffruticose, or shrubs. Leaves opposite, alternate, or whorled. 

 Inflorescence, axillary, racemose, or spiked. Flowers most frequently blue or white. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 

 V. diosmsefolia ? fruticosa, caule ramosissimo, pubescente ; foliis decussatis lanceolatis glabris 

 margine recurvis ; floribus racemosis lateralibus et terminalibus ; corolla ccerulea ; calyce 

 ciliato. 



Shrub very much branched, pubescent ; leaves decussate, lanceolate, smooth, margin recurved ; 

 flowers racemose, lateral and terminal ; corolla blue, calyx ciliate. 

 Veronica diosmsefolia ? — Cunn. 



Descr. — Shrub ; Stem round, very much branched, growing about three feet high, clothed with 

 a soft hairy pubescence. Leaves decussate, lanceolate, smooth , tapering into a short ciliate petiole. 

 Flowers pedicellate, arranged' in a raceme which is either lateral or terminal ; pedicels about the 

 length of the corolla, very finely pubescent. Corolla smooth, about four lines long, of a pleasing 

 blue, (a frequent colour in the genus) varying in its tint, which is sometimes lighter, sometimes 

 darker. Calyx 4-parted, about one-fourth the length of the corolla, pubescent. Bracts linear, 

 ciliate, somewhat less than half the length of the peduncle. Stamens about half the length of the 

 corolla. Anthers confluent. Pollen elliptical, in the centre of which is a longitudinal transparent 

 line. Style about the length of the stamens and anthers, minutely pubescent ; stigma capitate, 

 hirsute. Ovarium ovate, compressed, divided into two parts. Placenta central, seeds numerous, 

 reniform, papillose, sessile, verrucose. 



VOL. III. NO. XXIX. JULY, 1839. K 



