204 



S< R0PH1 L \K'i V I \l 



Vol. III. 



24. LEPTANDRA Nutt. Gen. 1: 7. 1818. 



Tall stout erect perennial herbs, with verticillate or opposite leaves, and small minutely 

 bracted white <ir blue flowers, in dense peduncled spike-like racemes, terminal, or in the 

 upper axils. Calyx 4-parted, short. * orolla tubular, or salver.form, nearly regular, 4-lobed, 

 the tube cylindric, longer than the lobes. Stamens _'. exserted, inserted low down on the 

 corolla-tul>e ; filaments filiform; anthers obtuse, short. Style about as long as the stamens, 

 stigma minute. Capsule narrowly ovoid, scarcely compressed, not emarginate nor obcordate, 

 4-valved at the apex. Seeds numerous, oval, minutely reticulated. [Greek, slender stamens, 

 referring to the filaments.] 



Two species, the following typical one native of eastern North America, the other of north- 



111 Asia. 



i. Leptandra virginica ( L.) Xutt. BeaummitV, 

 Bowman's- or Culver's-root. Fig. 3808. 



1 753- 



Veronica virginica L. Sp. PI. g. 

 Leptandra virginica Xutt. Gen. 



1S1S 



Stem glabrous, or very nearly so, simple, strict, 2-7 

 high. Leaves verticillate in 3's-o.'s or some of the upper- 

 most opposite, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, short- 

 petioled, long-acuminate at the apex, sharply serrulate, 

 narrowed at the base, pinnately veined, glabrous both 

 sides, or pubescent beneath, 3'-6' long, l'-l' wide; spike- 

 like racemes several or rarely solitary, 3 '-9' long, very 

 dense, the terminal one first developing; pedicels and 

 bractlets about as long as the calyx ; calyx-segments 

 ovate-lanceolate, acute ; corolla tubular, white or bluish, 

 2" long; capsule ovoid-oblong, l"-li" long. 2-3 times 

 as long as the calyx. 



In meadows, moist woods and thickets, Ontario to Mani- 

 toba, Massachusetts, Alabama and Texas. Recorded from 

 Nova Scotia. Ascends to 2700 ft. in Virginia. Black-root. 

 Culver's-physic. Brinton's-root. Oxadaddy. Quitch. Tall 

 speedwell. June-Sept. 



25. DIGITALIS [Tourn.] L. Sp. PI. 621. 1753. 



Tall biennial or perennial herbs, the stems simple, or branched at the base, with alternate 

 dentate or entire leaves, and large showy purple yellowish or white flowers, in long terminal 

 commonly 1-sided racemes. Calyx 5-parted. the segments imbricated. Corolla declined, 

 somewhat irregular, the tube contracted above the ovary, then rather abruptly expanded, 

 longer than the 4-5-lobed slightly 2-lipped limb; upper lip broadly emarginate or 2-cleft; 

 lower lip 3-lobed. the middle lobe largest, the lateral ones exterior in the bud. Stamens 4, 

 didynamous, ascending, mostly included ; anthers approximate in pairs. Style slender ; stigma 

 2-lobed. Capsule ovoid, septicidally dehiscent. Seeds numerous, rugose. [Latin, digitate, 

 the finger of a glove, which the flowers resemble.] 



About 20 species, native of Europe and Asia, the 

 following typical. 



i. Digitalis purpurea L. Purple Fox- 

 glove. Thimbles. Fairy Cap. Fig. 3809. 



Digitalis purpurea L. Sp. PI. 621. 1753. 



Usually biennial, pubescent ; stem stout, erect, 

 2-5 high. Basal and lower leaves ovate or 

 ovate-laneeolate, 6'-io' long, slender-petioled, 

 acute at the apex, narrowed at the base, dentate ; 

 upper leaves similar, smaller, sessile; racemes 1 

 long or more, dense, i-sided; flowers purple to 

 white, 1V-2' long, drooping; upper calyx-segment 

 narrower than the four other foliaceous ones ; 

 corolla spotted within. 



Cape Breton Island and New York, naturalized 

 from Europe, sparingly escaped from cultivation ; 

 also from Washington to California. June-Aug. 

 Among some 60 English names are folk's-glove Iby 

 corruption fox-glove], i. e., fairy 's-glove, fairy- 

 thimbles, -fingers, -weed, fairy-bells, pop-dock, or 

 -glove. Rabbit's-flower. Cottagers. Lion's-mouth. 

 Scotch mercury. Throatwort. Lady-fingers, -glove, 



-thimble. Dog's-finger. Witches'-thimbles. 



