1116 
LXXXVII. SCROPHULARlNEiE. 
22. VERONICA, Linn. 
(Derivation doubtful.) 
Calyx deeply divided into 4 or rarely 5 segments. Corolla either rotate or 
with a distinct tube and spreading limb ; lobes 4 or very rarely 5, imbricate in 
the bud, the lateral ones or one of them outside. Stamens 2, inserted in the 
tube and exserted from it ; anthers with confluent cells, without points or awns. 
Style filiform, with an undivided somewhat capitate stigma. Capsule compressed 
or turgid, furrowed on each side, either septicidally dehiscent with the placentas 
separating or loculicidally dehiscent with the valves remaining adherent to the 
undivided placental column, or separating from it and septicidally bifid. Seeds 
ovate or orbicular, compressed, attached by the inner flat concave or slightly 
convex surface, the outer surface more or less convex. — Herbs undershrubs or 
shrubs. Leaves opposite or rarely the upper ones alternate, the floral leaves 
or bracts always alternate. Flowers blue pink or white, solitary in the axils 
of the floral leaves and bracts, without or very rarely with bracteoles, forming 
usually tenninal or axillary racemes. 
A large genus, abundant in the temperate and colder regions of the northern hemisphere, in 
New Zealand, and the Antarctic regions, ascending to great elevations and high latitudes, with 
a very few tropical species, and those chiefly in mountain regions or descending along streams. 
Sect. I. Hebe.— Evergreen shrubs or densely tufted or tall and erect herbs. Leaves all 
opposite. Flowers in axillary racemes, very rarely reduced to single flowers. Capsule more or 
less turgid and septicidally dividing when ripe, at least at the top. 
Stems from a perennial base tall, simple or nearly so. Racemes elongated, 
many-flowered. Leaves broadly lanceolate, serrate I V. Derwentia. 
Sect. II. Chamsdrjrs . — Herbs from a perennial usually creeping rootstock , diffuse, 
ascending or erect. Leaves all opposite. Flowers in axillary racemes. Capsule compressed, the 
valves not separating from the placental columns. 
Leaves broadly ovate, petiolate, rounded truncate or cordate at the base, 
mostly i to lin. long. 
Stems hirsute with long hairs, long and procumbent or short and erect. 
Calyx-segments large, obtuse, ciliate 2. V. calycina. 
Stems slender, shortly pubescent, long and procumbent, rarely short and 
erect. Calyx-segments rather acute 3. V. plebeia. 
Leaves ovate-lanceolate, 1 to 3in. long. Stems erect, often tall, loosely 
pubescent or hirsute 4. V. notabilis. 
Sect. III. Veronicastrum. — Annual or perennial herbs, usually decumbent or small. 
Stem-leaves opposite, passing into the alternate floral leaves or bracts. Racemes or spikes 
terminal, simple, the lower bracts like the stem-leaves. Capsule as in Chamsedrys. 
Plants perennial, decumbent, and rooting at the base. Flowers distinctly 
pedicellate 5. V.serpyllifolia. 
Annual. Flowers sessile or nearly so .... - 6. F. peregrinia. 
All the Queensland species, have the corolla rotate or nearly so, with a very short tube, and 
none have bracteoles ; the bracts subtending the pedicels are small and narrow in all except the 
section Veronicastrum. 
1. V. Derwentia (an old generic name), Amir. Bot. Rep. t. 531 ; 
Benth. FI. Austr. iv. 507. Stems from a perennial base erect, simple, 2 to 3ft. 
high, glabrous as well as the foliage except a few cilia at the junction of the 
leaves, and sometimes a slight pubescence in 2 decurrent lines on the stem, or 
the inflorescence shortly pubescent. Leaves sessile, broadly lanceolate, acuminate, 
serrate, attaining 3 or 4in. Flowers pale-blue or white, rather crowded, in 
racemes often 6 to 8in. long in the upper axils. Calyx about 1£ line long, 
divided to below the middle into 4 lanceolate or almost linear lobes, with usually 
a small upper fifth lobe. Corolla-lobes rather broad, acute, nearly 3 lines long, 
not very unequal but obscurely arranged in 2 lips. Capsule ovoid or oblong, 
obtuse or acute, turgid at the base, exceeding the calyx, readily septicidal. — V. 
labiata, R. Br. Prod. 434 ; Benth. in DC. Prod. x. 463 ; Hook. f. FI. Tasm. i. 
293; Bot. Mag. t. 1660, and 3461. 
Hab.: Darling Downs. 
