228 



Duvau, in an excellent memoir upon the general characters of Veronica, 

 proposes the following sections of this order ; see Ann. des Sc. vol. 8. p. 176. 

 1826. 



Veronice-s:. 

 Examples. Veronica, Sibthorpia, Disandra. 



ERINACE.E. 



Examples. Manulea, Buchnera, Erinus. 



ScROPHULARINEiE. 



Examples. Scrophularia, Antirrhinum, Mimulus, Gratiola, Chelone, 

 Digitalis. 



To these Link adds, as will be seen among the synonymes of the order, 

 HalleriaceBe, containing the baccate genera, and Scopariaceee, containing Sco- 

 paria alone. 



CCXII. RHINANTHACEiE. The Rattle Tribe. 



Melampybaceje, Rich. Anal, du Fruit. (1808) ; Lindl. Synops. 194. (1829). — Rhinanthaceje, 

 Dec. Fl. Fr. 3. 454. (1815); Dec. and Duby Bot. Gall. 351. (1828) in pari.— Pemcu- 

 labes, Juss. Gen. 99. (1789) in part; Duvau in Ann. des Sc. Nat. 8. 180. (1826.) 



Diagnosis. Monopetalous dicotyledons, with a superior 2-celled capsule, 

 irregular unsymmetrical flowers, crested bracteoe, albuminous seeds, and a he- 

 terotropous embryo. 



Anomalies. 



Essential Chabacteb. — Calyx divided, persistent, unequal, inferior, foliaceous: Corolla 

 monopetalous, hypogynons, deciduous, personate. Stamens 4, didynamous; anthers with 

 acuminate lobes. Ovarium superior, 2-cellcd, 2-seeded ; style 1 ; stigma obtuse. Fruit cap- 

 sular, 2-celled, 2-valved, covered by the calyx. Seed ascending'; embryo minute, inverted 

 (heterotropous) in fleshy albumen. — Herbaceous plants, heaves opposite, without stipulw. 

 Flowers axillary, with coloured or crested floral leaves. 



Affinities. Distinguished from Scrophularinere by the inverted or heterotro- 

 pous embryo, the seeds being generally winged and few in number, often defi- 

 nite, and the bractea? dilated and foliaceous : at least such is the only charac- 

 ter which I can find for this group, which Duvau calls " tres tranche et presqu'- 

 isole." The habit is peculiar ; Chelone is the genus among Scrophularineae 

 to which they most nearly approach. In my Synopsis I have followed Rich- 

 ard in distinguishing Melampyracese from Rhinanthacese, and placing the lat- 

 ter among Scrophularineaj ; but I now entertain a different opinion : see Scro- 

 phularinere. Duvau says he has observed that, in some species of Euphrasia, 

 Bartsia, Rhinanthus, Melampyrum, and Pedicularis, the base of the corolla is 

 persistent in the form of a collar ; and he suggests the possibility of this cha- 

 racter, which he has also remarked in Orobanche, being of importance. 



Geography. Natives of Europe, Asia, and America, particularly in the 

 more temperate parts ; also of the Cape of Good Hope, South America, India, 

 and New Holland. 



Properties. Euphrasia officinalis is slightly bitter and aromatic, and was 

 formerly employed in diseases of the eye, but is now disused. Cows are said 

 to be fond of Melampyrum pratense ; and Linnaus says the best and yellowest 



