-eA&ruca. ayreö'Utf.
VERONICA Linnai Gen. PI. Diandria Monogynia.
Raii Syn. Gen. 18. Herbie fructu sicco singulari flore Monopet a Lo.
VERONICA agreßis, floribus folitariis, pedunculatis; foliis cordatis incifis, petiolatis; caule procumbente.
VERONICA agreßis, floribus folitariis, foliis Cordatis incifis pedunculo breviöribus. Linn. Syß. V ege tab. p. 56.
VERONICA floribus folitariis, Foliis cordatis incifis petiolatis. Hudfon. Fl. Angl. p. 6.
VERONICA caule procumbente; foliis petiolatis, ovatis, crenatis. Haller. Hiß. V. 1. in 594.
VERONICA agreßis. Scopoli FI. Carniol. p. 21. D iagn. Primiflora; foliis ovato-cordatis, crenatis, pedun*
culo brevioribus.
VERONICA floribus fingularibus, in oblongis pediculis, Chamaedry folia. Rati Syn.p. 279. Germander-
Speedwell or Chickweed.
ALSIN& foliis Triflaginis. Ger. emac. 616. Parkitifon. 764.
ALSINE Chamaedryfolia flofculis pediculis oblongis infidentibus. Batth. Pin. 250. Oeder. FI. Dan. Icon. 449.
RADIX annua, fibrofa. $ ROOT annual and fibrous.
CAULES plures, primum ere&i, tandem procumbentes, | STALKS feveral, fir ft upright, then procumbent, about
femipedales, fubvillofi, teretes. | ' fix inches in length, round and fomewhat villous.
FOLIA alterha, ovato-cordata, ferrata, petiolis brevibus | LEAVES alternate, of an oval-heart' fhape, ferrated,
f infidentia, fubhirfuta. f - placed on fhort foot-ftalks and flightly Hairy.
FLORES pedunculati, pedunculi axillares, longitudine | FLOWERS placed on foot-ftalks, which proceed from
fere foliorum, poft flore/centiam reflexi. | the Axillae of the leaves, and are nearly of the
| fame length; after the flowers are gone off
> * turning back.
CALYX: Peri an thium quadripartitum, laciniis lance- | CA L YX : a Perianthium divided into four Jacinise,
olatis, hirfutis, fubtortuofis, fig. 1. I which are lanceolate, hairy, and fomewhat
‘ twifted, Jig. ,1.
COROLLA monopetala, fubrotata, calyce brevior, lae- | COROLLA monopetalous, fomewhat wheel-fhaped and
viflimo fere taftu decidua; tubus breviflimus ; J fhorter than the Calyx, falling off ontheleaft
lacinije concavae, fubrotundae, nunc penitus | ; , touch; the tube very fhort; the laciniae
cberuleae, nunc venis coeruleis ftriatae, fig. 2. $ concave, and roundifh, fometimes wholly blue,
| fometimes ftriped with blue, fig. 2.
STAMINA: Filamenta duo, alba, medio craffiora; f STAMINA: two F ilaments of a white colour and
A nther.® coerulefeentes, fig. 3. | thickeft in the middle; A nthers blueifh, ? A- i I . . | H |
PISTILLUM: Ger men fubcomp refill m, hirfutulum, ¥ PISTILLUM: Ger men flattifh, a little hairy and fur-
bafi ne<ftario .cinftum ; Stylus viridis, apice v rounded at bottom by a Nefitarium ; the St y le ■
incrafliitus, ftamiuibus brevior; Stigma al- 4 green, thickeft at top, and fhorter than the
bum, capitatum, fig. 4. | Stamina ; Stigma roundifh and white, figi 4*
PERICARPIUM Capsul.il Veronica ferpyllifolia fimi- 4 SEED-VESSEL a C apsule like that of the Veronica
Iis, at major rotundiorque, fig. 5. ¥ ferpyllifolia, but larger and rounder, fig. 5.
SEMINA pallide fufca, plerumque 6 in fingulo locula- ^ SEEDS of a pale brown .colour, generally 6 in each
mento, rugofa, hinc convexa, hide concava, ¥ cavity, wrinkled, convex on one fide, and hdl-
' fig. 6. low on the other, fig. 6.
THERE are few Botanifts but what are apt to confound this fpecies of Veronica with the Veronica arvehfis 5
and this appears to a rife in fome degree from their fimilarity to each other, but more perhaps from the fimi-
litude of their Latin, and the ambiguity of their Englifh names. To prevent in fome degree this confufion, 1 have taken the liberty of altering the Englifh name of Germander-Speedwell or Chickweed to that of procumbent
Garden-Speedwell, in order that the young Botanift may thereby more readily diftinguifh it from the fpecies above-
mentioned. The ftalks of the Agreftis are ufually procumbent, and it is found generally in Gardens; whereas the
Aryenfis has an upright ftalk, and with us is found moft commonly on Walls. Beftdes fuch obvioufly diftin-
gui filing characters, thefe two plants differ confiderably in many other refpeCts. In the Arvinfis the leaves are
leflile, in this they are placed on foot-ftalks; in the Arvenfis the flowers are feffile, in this fpecies they likewife are
placed on foot-ftalks; and a difference ftill more remarkable, or at leaft more curious, exifts, which feems not to
have been attended to, viz. the largenefs and rouridnefs of the feed-veflels, and the particular ftrutfture of the feed;
In moft of the Veronicas the feed-veffel is, heart-fhaped, and even in this fpecies it retains fomewhat of that form,
although each of the Cavities is large and round; and if we examine the foriii of the feeds, we fhall not wonder
at this particular conftru&ion ; for each feed, inftead of being fmall and flat as in other Veronicas, is large, convex
on one fide, hollow on the other, and wholly different in its appearance. This peculiarity of ftructure (hows
what inconftancy there is in the parts of frunification, and how improper it Would be to found a Genus , on the
particular form of any one of them, lined thofe which are in general the moft uniform are fometimes fubjeCt to
fuch uncommon variations« The-number of feeds in each’Capfule is generally about 12, L innaeus fays 8, Scopoli
from 16 to 26.
. This fpecies grows frequently in Gardens, and flowers through moft of the fummer months. • No particular
virtues or ufes are attributed to it;