VERON'ICA DECUSSA'TA. 
CROSS-LEAVED SPEEDWELL. 
Class. Order, 
DIANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 
Natural Order. 
SCROPHULARIACE;E. 
Native of | Height. 
Flowers in 
Habit. 
Introduced 
Falkland 1. | 3 feet. 
June, July. 
Shrub. 
in 1776. 
No. 986. 
The derivation of the name, Veronica, is invol- 
ved in obscurity. Thex’e is, doubtless, utility and 
gratitication in knowing the meaning of the words 
employed as the names of j^lants ; and the more 
particularly so when these are in any way descrip- 
tive of the subjects to which they apply. As very 
many of them are so, the necessity arises of ex- 
amining the whole. The late Sir James Edward 
Smith once informed us that he had bestowed 
much time on this subject, and referred to his 
labours in the botanical articles of Rees's Cyclopte- 
dia, subsequent to the letter C. Many of these 
will be seen to be full of research. 
Although this very pretty shmb has long been 
known to be tolerably hai'dj', it is but rarely seen 
in the open garden. It is tme that it is not a 
free flowerer, but its beauty as an evergreen should 
secure it favour in every respectable garden. The 
regularity of its cross-wise foliage, and the fra- 
grance of its flowers, claim attention. 
Give it a dry place at the foot of a wall, in a 
light soil, where it may be conveniently protected 
by a mat, in very severe weather. 
