DIGITALIS PURPUREA. 17 
SCROPHULARIACESA., 
LINDLEY. 
FIGWORTS. 
EssenT1aL Cuar.—Peduncles opposite or alternate, sometimes simple and one-flowered, sometimes many-flowered 
in dichotomous cymes. Calyx inferior, persistent, pentamerous, or by abortion tetramerous, the sepals sometimes united 
almost to the point, sometimes only at their base, sometimes altogether distinct and imbricated, often unequal; the upper 
one being largest, the two lowest smaller, the lateral ones smallest. Corolla monopetalous, pentamerous, or, the upper 
petals being united to their points, tetramerous ; twbe short or long ; limd flat or erect, nearly equally divided or bila- 
biate, imbricated in estivation. Stamens in a single series opposite the sepals ; the uppermost altogether deficient or 
sterile, or very rarely fertile, and shorter than the others; the two lateral equal, antheriferous, or very rarely sterile 
and abortive ; the lower equal, sometimes fertile and equal to the lateral ones, or longer, often sterile or deficient, abor- 
tive. Anthers two-celled, or, by growing together or half disappearing, one-celled, opening longitudinally. Ovary 
superior, two-celled, many-seeded. Style simple, or rarely shortly bifid. Stigmatic surface terminal when the style 
is entire, either very thin and punctiform, or more or less pulvinate or capitate, entire or emarginate. When the style 
is bifid, the stigmatic surface either lines the inner surface of the lobes, or their margins, or rarely forms a pulvinate 
mass in the fork. Fruit capsular, seldom berried, dicarpellary, two-celled, sometimes with two entire or bifid valves, 
sometimes with four entire ones, sometimes opening by pores or lids, very rarely almost indehiscent; dissepiment 
parallel or opposite the valves, finally loose in the centre, or altogether. Placenta adhering to the dissepiment, some- 
times when mature separate, and forming 1—2 central columns. Seeds indefinite, rarely definite, albuminous. 
Embryo orthotropal, heterotropal, and antitropal, but slightly curved. (Bentham. Lindley.) 
Herbs or undershrubs, or sometimes shrubs, usually without scent, but sometimes fetid, rarely aromatic. Leaves 
opposite, whorled, or alternate. Flowers axillary, or racemose, rarely spiked. Peduncles opposite or alternate, some- 
times simple and one-flowered, sometimes many-flowered in dichotomous cymes. 
The plants composing this family are in abundance in all parts of the world. The properties of such as are 
medicinal are acrid and bitterish, possessing a marked action on the nervous system. 
DIGITALEA. 
DIGITALIS PURPUREA. 
LINNEUS. 
PURPLE FOXGLOVE. 
Sex. Syst.—Didynamia, Angiospermia. 
R.— Sepals five, rounded or acute, permanent, much shorter than the corolla; the uppermost narrowest. 
Capsule o — didy BaMous, inserted into the base of the corolla. Anthers acute, naked. Stigma bila- 
Srrcrr. Cuan en sae a septicidal dehiscence. ( Lindley.) ? 
simple, BesAinn oa lennial, root of long and numerous slender fibres. Stem straight, wand like, leafy, mostly 
crenate, downy ss arte slight angles, downy, three or four feet high. Leaves alternate, ovate, or elliptic oblong, 
Senin 8ged and veiny, of a dull green, tapering at the base into winged footstalks; radical ones largest. 
; one-sided, erect, simple, of numerous, sometimes sixty, large pendulous, scentless, crimson flowers; 
tly m k . , 
Se < ed with eye-like Spots, as well as hairy —— (Smeth.) Seeds small, oblong, pale brown, pitted. 
