SCROPHULARINEiE. 157 



These plants seem to be astringent and acrid, and offensive to 

 animals. 



Epiphagus. Nutt. 13. 2. 



Was taken from the preceding genus by Mr. Nuttall ; bears 

 some flowers, which are not fertile. 



E. Americana. Nutt. Cancer Root. Beech-drops. Stem 

 often a foot high, leafless, branched, with small scales ; flowers 

 small, alternate, fertile ones deciduous and smaller, striped ; in 

 beech woods ; July, August. 



The plant has a drab appearance, and the bark appears to per- 

 form the functions of leaves ; abundant in the western parts of the 

 State. 



ORDER 211. SCROPHULARINEiE. The Figwort 



Tribe. 



A numerous and important family of plants, widely spread over 

 the world, from the hottest to the coldest regions where vegetation 

 can live. In North America, the species are about ^^^ of the 

 flowering plants, and in Europe ^\. 



Calyx divided and permanent, 1 -leafed ; corolla 1-petalled, in- 

 ferior, deciduous, irregular, or very rarely regular ; stamens 

 sometimes 2, usually 4, and then 2 are commonly longer, some- 

 times all are equal in length ; ovary superior, 2-celled, many- 

 seeded ; style 1 , with a 2-lobed stigma ; leaves generally opposite. 



Plants generally to be suspected ; many are acrid, bitter, and 

 produce dangerous symptoms on the human system ; some are 

 healthful, some have valuable medicinal characters. 



ScROPHULARiA. L. 13. 2. Figwort. 

 Calyx 5-cleft ; corolla subglobose, turned backwards, shortly 

 2-lipped. Supposed in former times to be a specific for scrophu- 

 lous tumors, because its roots remotely resemble such swellings ; 

 a genus of about 30 species, chiefly in the South of Europe, 2 

 only in this country, and 1 in this State. About 25 species in- 

 troduced into England. 



