Plate 48. 
VEEONICA ELLIPTICA. 
Family, Scrophulariace^ : — Petals united. Ovary superior. Stamens 
epipetalous, 2 or 4, if 4 in pairs. Ovary 2-celled. Flowers 
irregular. 
Genus, Veronica : — Herbaceous plants, seldom shrubs. Leaves opposite. 
Flowers blue or white. Corolla rotate, deeply and unequally 
4-lobed, the lower lobe being the narrowest. Stamens 2, projecting 
from the corolla. Fruit a capsule with few seeds. 
Veronica elliptica, Forst. (" Box.") Plant a smooth, 
shrub, attaining a height of 5-7 ft., and being the tallest plant 
of the Islands. Leaves opposite, in pairs, the pairs alternating 
with one another, about | in. long, oval, with very pointed 
apices and short stalks, margin entire, shining. Flowers 
crowded towards the top of the branches, with a delightful and 
fragrant scent of orange blossom. Calyx of 4 oval-pointed, 
slightly hairy segments. Corolla white or flesh-coloured, 
streaked with blue. Stamens 2. Anthers purple. Filaments 
white. Stigma yellowish-green. Capsule broadly ovate. Seeds 
flat. 
Seashores. Fairly common. 
Flowers January and February. 
West Falklands. 
Description of plate portion of plant in flower; 2, flower; 
3, section of flower ; 4, calyx and pistil ; 5 and 6, stamens ; 7, dehiscing 
anther ; 8, portion of plant in fruit ; 9, fruit ; 10, section of fruit ; 
11, seed. All except 1 and 8 enlarged. 
