THE DICOTYLEDONS 599 
SCROPHULARIACE2 OR Ficwort Famity.—Herbs (Linaria, 
Verbascum, Gerardia, Digitalis, etc.), shrubs (shrubby Veronicas, 
etc.), rarely trees (Paulownia imperialis). Stem, branches and 
leaves usually green and independently vegetating, but in 
Pedicularis, Gerardia, Euphrasia, Buchnera, Rhinanthus, etc., the 
stem, leaves, and branches are condensed from the development 
of a parasitic root habit. Stems cylindrical to frequently 
quadrangular, especially when leaves are opposite. Leaves 
alternate to opposite and decussate, simple, exstipulate, often 
Fic. 456.—Bittersweet (Solanum Dulcamara). Note transition from simple to lobed 
to compound leaves and flowers with rotate corollas. (After Gager.) 
hairy, but becoming by drought or parasiticism reduced to 
scales or almost absorbed. Inflorescence a raceme of cymes 
(Paulownia) or a simple raceme (Foxglove, Linaria, etc.) or spike 
(Verbascum Thapsus) or, if leaves are opposite, often a whorl of 
axillary flowers or solitary axillary flowers. Flowers rarely 
regular, mostly irregular; calyx of five sepals, condensed in 
Veronica to four through absorption of one sepal by fusion of two 
sepals; corolla of five to four petals, deeply synpetalous, varying 
from rotate (Verbascum Blattaria, etc.) to irregular tubular to 
elongate, irregular bilabiate to funnel-shaped. In color, corolla 
varies from greenish to greenish-yellow or white (Scrophularia) 
