92 

 ORDER CXV. SCROPHULARIACE^. 



A large Order, whose members are chiefly fonnd in temperate 

 climates, more rare in tropical ones, and in cold and Alpine regions 

 almost absent. Some of the species possess medicinal properties, the 

 most useful of them being the ' Foxglove," Digitalis purpurea, pre- 

 parations of which are in frequent use. It is. nevertheless, a dangerous 

 plant to use except under medical advice. The Brazilian shrub, 

 Brunfehia uniflora. is a plant often seen in cultivation. Its bark is 

 poisonous, and has been called " vegetable mercury," A few others 

 have been used medicinally, but none are of much importance. Our 

 indigenous species vary in size from the minute Ilysanthes nana, 

 which is scarcely 2 inches in height, to Halleria lucvla and Anastrahe 

 integerrima, which are small trees, and have been used for building 

 purposes. Other genera contain handsome, flowering plants, and 

 Butfonia natalensis is, perhaps, one of our most ornamental climbers ; 

 but hitherto, so far as we are aware, all efforts to cultivate it have 

 been unsuccessful. It is most likely parasitical on some roots, as are 

 the " Witchweeds," known to the natives as "Isona," which are found 

 in mealie fields and are parasitical on the roots of the mealies and 

 other species of the grass family. They are different species of the 

 genus Striga. Some, if not all of the species of Harveya audCycnium, 

 have also the reputation of beiug parasitical. 



Number of species about 2000. 



KEY TO THE TRIBES. 



Leaves all alternate. 1 



Leaves all opposite (in the Xatal species). 2 



Leaves (at least the lower) opposite. 3 



Leaves opposite or alternate. 4 



1 CoroUa tube widened into a long throat, two 

 back lobes outermost in bud. Capsule 

 septicidally 2-valved. Aptosimej:. 



2 CoroUa lobes flat, back one interior in bud. Under- 



shrubs. not parasitic. Digitaij:^. 



3 Corolla resupinate, bifoveolate, bicalcarate or 

 bisacculate at base, back lobes outermost in 

 bud. Capsule septicidal. Hemimeridejs. 



3 CoroUa without pocket or spur, two back 

 lobes outermost in bud. Fruit capsular and 

 septicidal, or fleshy and indehiscent. Chelone^. 



3 Corolla without pocket or spur, back lobes 

 outermost in bud, anthers cells confluent. 

 Capside septicidal. Nemieje. 



3 Corolla without pocket or spur, back lobes 

 outermost in bud. Anther cells distinct or 

 confluent at apex. Fruit capsidar, locuU- 

 cidal, septicidal, or subindehiscent. Geatiole.s:. 



