VERONICA ALPINA. ALPINE SPEEDWELL.
VERONICA alpina; racemis corymbpsis (fructiferis elongatis) terminalibus, foliis elliptico-ovatis
subserratis, calyce ciliato, capsula lato-obovata emarginata, stylo perbrevi terminata
caule erecto simplici.
VERONICA alpina.' Linn. Sp. PI. p. 15. L ig h tf. Scot. p. 72. With. Pot. Arr. ed. 4. ml. 2. p. 12.
Hoffm. Germ. ed. 2. ml. 1 .p .6 . JVilld. Sp. PI. ml. 1. p. 63. Smith, FI. Brit. p. 18.
Engl. Pot. t. 484. Decand. FI. Fr. ed. 3. ml. 3. p. 471. FI. Gall. Syn. p. 211.
A it. Hort. Kew. ed. 2. ml. 1. p. 30. Pers. Syn. PI. ml. 1. p. l l . Hook. FI. Scot.
P . I. p. 4. Smithy Engl. FI. ml. 1. p . 19.
VERONICA caule simplici, foliis ovatis glabris subserratis, spica pauciflora. Hall. Helv. n. 544.
t. 15. f . 2.
Class a n d O r d e r . D IANDRIA MONOGYNIA.
[N a tu r a l Or d e r . SCROPHULARINÆ, Pr., Hook. PEDICULARES, Juss. RHINANTHACEÆ,
Decand.
G e n . Ch a r . Calyx quadri- raro quinque-partitus. Corolla subrotata. Tubus calyce brevior. Limbus quadri-
partitus intequalis, lobis indivisis. Stamina duo antherifera, sterilia nulla. Capsula valvis medio septiferis, vel
bipartibilis. ,
G e n . Ch a r . Calyx four- rarely five-partite. Corolla subrotate. Tube shorter than the calyx. Limb four-partite,
unequal, with the lobes entire. Stamens two bearing anthers, sterile ones none. Capsule with the valves
bearing the septa in the middle, o f bipartible.
R a d ix perennis, fibrosa, fibris ramosis.
Caules digitales, solitarii, vel duo aut très ex eadem
radice, et ad basin soluramodq subrepentes, proli-
feri, dein erecti, flexuosi, glabri, viridi-purpuras-
centes.
Folia subremota, opposita, sessilia, ovato-elliptica, glabra,
patentia, obtusa, margine obscure serrata,
lurido-virescentia, siccitatenigricantia; suprema
circa flores parva, bracteæformia.
Flores pauci, terminales, in corymbum parvum brevem,
dein magis elongatum et fructiferum racemosum
dispositi. Pedicelli perbreves.
Ca ly x purpureo-viridis, quadripartitus, laciniis ovatis,
acutis, erecto-patentibus, marginibus ciliatis.
Corolla subinfundibuliformi-rotata : tubo brevi, pal-
lido, lobis quatuor, inæqualibus, pulckerrime pur-
püreo-cæruleis, vix calycem longioribus.
St am in a duo in partem superiorem tubi inserta, brevia.
Antheræ rotundatæ, pallide purpureas.
PlSTlLLUM : Germen ovatum, compressum, utrinque
sulcatum, ad basin glandulo crasso carnoso cinc-
tum. Stylus germine brevior. Stigma dilatatum.
Cap sula calyce persistente longior, obovato-rotundata,
compressa, emarginata, stylo brevi terminata,
utrinque marginibus versus apicem dehiscens,
bilocularis, dissepimento valvarum medio ad-
nato. Receptacula seminum centralia, septo
adnata.
S em in a sphærica, fusca.
Fig. r. Flower. Fig. 2. Corolla,
gland surrounding the base,
tacle, and seeds. Fig. 8.
Root perennial, fibrous, the fibres branched.
Stems about a finger’s length in height, solitary, or two
or three springing from the same root, at the
base alone, somewhat creeping and proliferous,
thence erect, flexuose, glabrous, greenish-purple.
Lea v e s subremote, opposite, sessile, ovato-elliptical,
glabrous, patent, obtuse, with the margin obscurely
serrated, dark green, turning black when
dry i the uppermost ones about the flowers small,
and resembling bractere.
Flowers few, terminal, placed in a small short corymb,
afterwards more elongated', and when in fruit
racemed. Pedicels very short.
Caly x purplish-green, quadripartite, with the segments
ovate, acute, erecto-patent, the margins ciliated.
Corolla between rotate and infundibuliform; with the
tube short, pale, the lobes four, unequal, o f a
most beautilul purple-blue colour, scarcely longer
than the calyx.
St am e n s two, short, inserted into the upper part o f the
tube. Anthers rounded, pale purple.
P is t il : Germen ovate, compressed, furrowed on each
side, surrounded at the base by a thick fleshy
gland. Style shorter than the germen. Stigma
dilated.
Cap sul e longer than the persistent calyx, obovato-
rounded, compressed, emarginate, terminated by
a short style, opening on each side a t the margins
towards the apex, two-celled, having the dissepiment
adnate to the-middle o f the valves.
Receptacles o f the seed central, fixed to the dissepiment.
S eed s sphasrical, brown,
; uissepunenr, recej
Although found upon many, and, I believe, upon most, of our Highland mountains of Scotland, yet on none
does it grow otherwtse than sparingly, by the sides of alpine rills and such places as the Epilobmm affects, with
which it is often found in company. The alpine variety of Veronica icrpyllijolia has, by an unpractised eye, not
unfrequently been mistaken for it: but the larger sized serrated leaves, erect growth, and the dark blue almost sessile
flowers, nestled m a very short and dense corymb amongst the upper leaves of the V. alpina, will serve to
distinguish it. As the fruit advances, the corymb is lengthened into a more distinct raceme, as is represented in the
figure in English Botany, which, although criticized by Wahlenberg, is in reality an excellent representation of
the plant as it appears on our alps.