THE FIGWORT FAMILY 
77 
8. *Veron'ica repens. DC. — Another rare species, not native to the British Isles, 
which has short clusters of flowers, the corolla much longer than the sepals, the sepals and 
capsules with glandular hairs, the capsules shorter than the style, the stems prostrate, and the 
leaves all roundly oval. 
Naturalised near Manchester, York, and Glasgow. April — May. Perennial. 
9. Wall Speedwell. (Veronica arven'sis. Linn.) — Flowers minute, pale blue 
numerous, in a spike-like cluster (raceme), almost concealed by the alternate, lance-shaped, 
entire leaf-like bracts. The sepals are blunt, oblong or lance-shaped, fringed with hairs, unequal 
in size, much longer than the corolla ; the capsule is shorter than the calyx, inversely heart-shaped 
(obcordate), flattened, as broad as long, with a very short persistent style not exceeding the 
notch, each lobe containing numerous flat seeds. [As described in the genus Speedwell 
(Veronica).] The stem is 4-6 inches or rarely 1 foot or more high, very downy, erect, usually 
branched ; and the leaves are egg-shaped, toothed (serrate) but not lobed, the lowest ones stalked 
and the others stalkless (sessile). The whole plant is of a yellowish green and is thickly covered 
with soft hairs. 
Very small specimens of this species are sometimes mistaken for the preceding, Vernal Speedwell 
but can easily be distinguished by their toothed but never lobed leaves. 
Very common. On walls, banks, and cultivated and waste ground, throughout England, Scotland, 
and Ireland. April — October. Annual. 
10. Thyme-leaved Speedwell. (Veronica serpyllifdlia. Linn.)— Flowers ^ inch 
across, pale blue or white, veined with darker blue, on short stalks, in a long spike-like cluster 
(raceme) ; the alternate leaf-like bracts are narrowly egg-shaped ; the sepals are blunt, inversely 
egg-shaped (obovate) or inversely lance-shaped, fringed with gland-tipped hairs ; the capsules 
are shorter than the sepals, inversely heart-shaped (obcordate), broader than long, flattened, with 
gland-tipped hairs, and a long persistent style as long as the capsule, and with numerous seeds. [As 
described in the genus Speedwell (Veronica).] The stems are prostrate and very much branched 
and rooting at the base, then erect, 2-5 inches high; and the leaves are oval, blunt, slightly 
scalloped, and almost smooth, the lower ones stalked and the others stalkless (sessile). The 
whole plant is of a dull green and usually withour hairs. [ Plate 27. 
A rare variety — Veronica serpyllifolia, var. humifusa. Dickson— is occasionally met with on 
mountains in North Wales, Northumberland, and the Scotch Highlands. It differs in having 
larger and fewer bright blue flowers in shorter clusters, shorter and broader sepals, the capsule 
longer than the sepals, and the stems more downy and all prostrate. 
Extremely common. In fields, waste places, and pastures, and by waysides. May — July. Perennial. 
11. Alpine Speedwell. (Veron ica alpina. Linn.)— A beautiful little species differing 
from the last in having more crowded, but fewer, darker blue flowers, almost clustered into a head 
when first opening, but lengthening in fruit ; the capsule oval, nearly twice as long as the calyx, 
with a short persistent style, one-quarter as long as the capsule ; the stem more erect ; and 
the leaves larger and fewer. 
Rare. On the summits of the higher mountains of Scotland. July — August. Perennial. 
12. Blue Rock Speedwell. (Veron'ica fruticans. Jacquin.)— Another beautiful 
species with larger flowers, £ inch across, bright blue with dark veins, on long erect stalks, 
2-6 in a short cluster, not lengthening in fruit ; egg-shaped capsules, half as long again as the 
calyx, with a persistent style as long as the capsule ; stems woody, prostrate, much branched at the 
base, with erect flowering stems 2-4 inches high ; and small oblong or inversely egg-shaped 
(obovate) leaves, rather leathery, with entire or slightly toothed margins. ( Veronica saxatilis. Linn.) 
