468 SCROPHULARIACE^:. 



Broom tribe. They attach themselves to the roots of various plants, 

 and are hence called Root-parasites. Different species infest and 

 injure different tribes of plants. Thus, Orobanche rapum is parasitical 

 upon Broom and Furze; 0. ramosa, upon Hemp; 0. rubra, upon com- 

 mon Thyme ; 0. minor, upon red Clover ; 0. barbata, upon the Ivy ; 

 0. elatior and arenaria, upon different species of Compositse, as Cen- 

 taury and Milfoil. The stems of Orobanches have a large central 

 cellular portion, surrounded by numerous nbro-vascular bundles, 

 which are arranged in a circle without any medullary rays. Tubers 

 exist at the lower part, whence subterranean buds are developed. 

 Sometimes the fibro-vascular bundles of the plants, to which the 

 Broom-rapes are attached, are found ramifying in the substance of the 

 parasite. As Broom-rapes possess tubers and ordinary roots, Henfrey 

 is disposed to think that they also derive nourishment from the soil in 

 the usual way. Lathrcea squamaria, Tooth-wort, is parasitical upon 

 the roots of Hazels, Cherry- laurels, and other trees. Epiphegus vir- 

 giniana, Beech-drops, has been used in powder as an application to 

 cancerous sores. 



964. Order 136. Scrophniariaceie, the Figwort Family. (Mono- 

 pet. Hypog.) Calyx divided into 4 or 5 parts, unequal, persistent, in- 

 ferior (fig. 288 c). Corolla monopetalous, more or less irregular and 

 bilabiate (fig. 288 p), or personate (fig. 300), sometimes spurred or 

 saccate at the base ; aestivation imbricate. In the bud, the flowers are 

 regular (fig. 305). Stamens usually 4, didynamous (figs. 344, 346), 

 rarely 5, sometimes 2 ; anthers bilocular, or unilocular by abortion 

 or adhesion. Ovary free, 2 celled ; ovules usually 00 ; style simple ; 

 stigma 2-lobed, rarely entire. Fruit capsular, rarely fleshy, dicarpel- 

 lary, 2-celled (fig. 445), 2-4-valved, opening by septicidal or loculi- 

 cidal dehiscence, rarely by pores (fig. 462) or lids, the dissepiments 

 becoming finally loose in the centre (fig. 446). Placentas attached to 

 the dissepiment, and sometimes in the mature fruit becoming central. 

 Seeds definite or 00 ; embryo straight or slightly curved, included 

 within fleshy albumen. Herbs, undershrubs, or shrubs, with opposite, 

 whorled, or alternate leaves. They are found generally distributed over 

 the globe, both in cold and warm regions. The order has been divided 

 by Bentham into three sections: 1. Salpiglossideae. 2. Antirrhinideae. 

 3. Rhinanthideae. The characters of these divisions are founded on 

 the nature of the inflorescence, whether centrifugal, centripetal, or 

 compound, and the aestivation of the corolla. There are 176 known 

 genera, and 1,814 species. Examples Schizanthus, Salpiglossis, Cal- 

 ceolaria, Verbascum, Antirrhinum, Scrophularia, Pentstemon, Mimu- 

 lus, Digitalis, Veronica, Rhinanthus, Melampyrum. 



965. The plants of the order are usually scentless, or at all events 

 not aromatic. They are acrid and slightly bitter, and some of them 

 are sedative and poisonous. Some of the plants of the order belong 



