ACANTHACEiE. 



* # * Several other Acanthaeeae are named in books, as having slight me- 

 dical properties ; they are chiefly emollients, but appear to be of no 

 consequence. 



SCROPHULARIACE.E. 



Nat. syst. ed.<2. J9.288. 



DIGITALIS. 



Sepals 5, rounded or acute, permanent, much shorter than the 

 corolla; the uppermost narrowest. Corolla ventricose, contracted 

 at the base, with an oblique limb ; upper lip emarginate, lower 

 3-fid with the middle lobe the largest. Stamens didynamous, 

 inserted into the base of the corolla ; anthers acute, naked. 

 Stigma bilamellate. Capsule ovate, with a septicidal dehiscence. 



1047. D. purpurea Linn. sp. pi. 866. Eng. Bot. t. 1297. 



Woodv. t. 24. Smith Eng.fl. iii. 140 Pastures and by road 



sides in many parts of Europe. (Foxglove.) 



A biennial; root of numerous long and slender fibres. Stem straight, 

 wand-like, leafy, mostly simple, roundish, with several slight angles, 

 downy, 3 or 4 feet high, leaves alternate, ovate or elliptic-oblong, 

 crenate, downy, rugged and veiny, of a dull green; tapering at the 

 base into winged footstalks ; radical ones largest. Raceme terminal, 

 1-sided, erect, simple, of numerous, sometimes 60, large, pendulous, 

 scentless, crimson flowers ; elegantly marked with eye-like spots, as 

 well as hairy, within. Smith. Seeds small, oblong, pale brown, pitted. 

 The leaves and seeds of this plant, especially the former, in the state 

 of powder, tincture, or infusion, afford one of the most valuable of 

 known medicines, for the purpose of reducing the action of the heart, 

 promoting the action of the absorbents, as a diuretic, and for producing 

 a specific action over the cerebro-spinal system. It is employed very 

 extensively in fevers, dropsy, inflammation, haemorrhages, diseases of 

 the heart, and in mania, epilepsy, spasmodic asthma and the like. It 

 is very remarkable for its power on the system, sometimes accumulat- 

 ing till it suddenly shows itself with irresistible force, to the imminent 

 risk of the life of the patient. 



SCROPHULARIA. 



Calyx 5-parted, or more frequently 5-cleft, nearly equal. Co- 

 rolla globose, with a short 5-lobed limb, the segments of which 

 are rounded, and the uppermost united into an upper lip. Sta- 

 mens didynamous, declinate, with 1-celled transverse anthers ; 

 a fifth rudimentary stamen with a lamelliform anther, often pre- 

 sent. Stigma emarginate. Capsule roundish, often acuminate, 

 with the valves entire or just bifid. 



502 



