136 IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



THE SCROPHULARIACE^ OF IOWA. 



BY T. J. AND M. F. L. FITZPATRICK. 



ScROPHULARiACE^ Lindleij, Nat. Sysl. Ed. 2, p. 288. 1836. 



FIGWORT FAMILY. 



The Figwort family comprises nearly 2,500 species, which 

 are grouped in about 165 genera. The species are quite 

 widely distributed, but are most abundant in temperate 

 regions, occurring rarely towards the poles and equator. 

 Heller, in his Catalogue of North American Plants, 

 includes 51 genera and 627 species and varieties belong- 

 ing to the Figwort family. The flora of Iowa has repre- 

 sentatives of 21 genera, there being about 45 species. 



In general terms the Figwort family includes herbs, 

 shrubs or trees (ours all herbs), with alternate or opposite 

 exstipulate leaves, and perfect, usually complete, irregular 

 and mostly 4 — 5-parted flowers. Leaves entire or vari- 

 ously modified. Corolla imbricated in the bud, 2-lipped or 

 nearly regular. Stamens 2 5, inserted on the tube of the 

 corolla, didynamous or equal, 1-3 of them usually rudi- 

 mentary. Ovary free, 2-celled; style 1, stigma entire or 

 2-lobed. Fruit a 2-celled, many-seeded capsule. 



The following key may be improvised for the genera 

 represented in Iowa: 



SUB-ORDER ANTIRRHINIDE^ Bentham. 



Upper lip o£ the corolla usually covering the lower. 



Tribe VERBASCEyE. Leaves alternate; flowers spicate or racemose; cor- 

 olla rotate, its lobes subequal. 



Verbascitm. Stamens 5, all antheriferous. 



