The representative English veronica “Germander Speedwell”—­very prettily drawn in S. 986; too tall and weed-like in D. 448.

2.  Hederifolia.  Ivy-leaved:  but more properly, cymbalaria-leaved.  It is the English field representative, though blue-flowered, of the Byzantine white veronica, V. Cymbalaria, very beautifully drawn in G. 9.  Hederifolia well in D. 428.

3.  Agrestis.  Fr.  ‘Rustique.’  We ought however clearly to understand whether ‘agrestis,’ used by English botanists, is meant to imply a literally field flower, or only a ‘rustic’ one, which might as properly grow in a wood.  I shall always myself use ‘agrestis’ in the literal sense, and ‘rustica’ for ‘rustique.’  I see no reason, in the present case, for separating the Polite from the Rustic flower:  the agrestis, D. 449 and S. 971, seems to me not more meekly recumbent, nor more frankly cultureless, than the so-called Polita, S. 972:  there seems also no French acknowledgment of its politeness, and the Greek family, G. 8, seem the rudest and wildest of all.

Quite a field flower it is, I believe, lying always low on the ground; recumbent, but not creeping.  Note this difference:  no fastening roots are thrown out by the reposing stems of this Veronica; a creeping or accurately ‘rampant’ plant roots itself in advancing.  Conf.  Nos. 5, 6.

4.  Arvensis.  We have yet to note a still finer distinction in epithet.  ‘Agrestis’ will properly mean a flower of the open ground—­yet not caring whether the piece of earth be cultivated or not, so long as it is under clear sky.  But when agri-culture has turned the unfruitful acres into ’arva beata,’—­if then the plant thrust itself between the furrows of the plough, it is properly called ‘Arvensis.’

I don’t quite see my way to the same distinction in English,—­perhaps I may get into the habit, as time goes on, of calling the Arvenses consistently furrow-flowers, and the Agrestes field-flowers.  Furrow-veronica is a tiresomely long name, but must do for the present, as the best interpretation of its Latin character, “vulgatissima in cultis et arvis.”  D. 515.  The blossom itself is exquisitely delicate; and we may be thankful, both here and in Denmark, for such a lovely ‘vulgate.’

5.  Montana.  D. 1201.  The first really creeping plant we have had to notice.  It throws out roots from the recumbent stems.  Otherwise like agrestis, it has leaves like ground-ivy.  Called a wood species in the text of D.

6.  Persica.  An eastern form, but now perfectly naturalized here—­D. 1982; S. 973.  The flowers very large, and extremely beautiful, but only one springing from each leaf-axil.

Leaves and stem like Montana; and also creeping with new-roots at intervals.

7.  Triphylla, (not triphyll_os_,—­see Flora Suecica, 22).  Meaning trifid-leaved; but the leaf is really divided into five lobes, not three—­see S. 974, and G. 10.  The palmate form of the leaf seems a mere caprice, and indicates no transitional form in the plant:  it may be accepted as only a momentary compliment of mimicry to the geraniums.  The Siberian variety, ‘multifida,’ C. 1679, divides itself almost as the submerged leaves of the water-ranunculus.