SCROPHULARIACEAE. 



VOL. III. 



17. GRATIOLA L. Sp. PI. 17. 1753. 



Erect or diffuse glabrous or glandular-pubescent herbs, with opposite sessile, entire or 

 dentate leaves, and yellow or whitish peduncled flowers solitary in the axils. Peduncles 

 2-bracteolate at the summit in the following species. Calyx 5-parted, the segments narrow, 

 slightly unequal. Corolla irregular, its tube cylindric, its limb more or less 2-lipped; upper 

 lip entire, emarginate, or 2-cleft; lower lip 3-lobed. Perfect starnens 2, the anterior pair 

 wanting, or represented by rudiments; filaments filiform; anther-sacs distinct, transverse and 

 separated by a broad connective. Style filiform; stigma dilated, slightly 2-lobed. Capsule 

 loculicidally and septicidally dehiscent, ovoid or globose, 4-valved. Seeds numerous, longi- 

 tudinally and transversely striate. [Latin, grace or favor, from its reputed healing properties.] 



About 30 species, of wide geographic distribution in temperate and warm regions. Besides the 

 following, some 9 others occur in southern and western North America. Type species : Gratiola 

 officinalis L. 



Sterile filaments minute or none. 



Glandular-puberulent ; flowers 4"-s" long; capsule ovoid. i. G.virginiana. 



Glabrous ; flowers 7" long ; capsule globose. 2. G. sphaerocarpa. 

 Sterile filaments 2, slender, capitate at the summit. 



Leaves lanceolate, entire or remotely denticulate. 3. G. aurea. 



Leaves ovate or oblong, sharply serrate. 4. G. viscosa. 



i. Gratiola virginiana L. Clammy Hedge- 

 Hyssop. Fig. 3785. 



Gratiola virginiana L. Sp. PI. 17. 1753. 



Annual; stem erect, at length widely branched, 

 glandular-puberulent, at least above, 3'-i2' high. 

 Leaves oblong or oblong-lanceolate, sessile, nar- 

 rowed to both ends, denticulate, i'-2' long, 2"-$" 

 wide, glabrous or nearly so; peduncles slender, 

 glandular, shorter than or equalling the leaves; 

 flowers 4"-S" long; bractlets as long as the calyx, 

 or longer; calyx about one-half as long as the yel- 

 lowish corolla-tube ; limb of the corolla short, white ; 

 sterile filaments minute or none; anther-sacs trans- 

 verse, separated by a broad connective; capsule 

 broadly ovoid, 2" high, as long as the calyx. 



In wet places, Quebec to British Columbia, south to 

 Florida, Texas and California. Ascends to 3000 ft. in 

 Virginia. Water jessamine. May-Oct. 



2. Gratiola sphaerocarpa Ell. Round- 

 fruited Hedge-Hyssop. Fig. 3786. 



Gratiola sphaerocarpa Ell. Bot. S. C. & Ga. i : 14. 

 1816. 



Annual (or perennial?), glabrous; stem as- 

 cending or erect, rather stout, simple or branched, 

 6'-i2' high. Leaves oblong or obovate-oblong, 

 sessile, dentate or denticulate, 3-5-nerved, acute 

 or obtusish at the apex, narrowed at the base, 

 i '-2' long, 3"-8" wide; peduncles stout, little cr 

 not at all longer than the calyx; bractlets about 

 equalling the calyx; calyx-lobes linear; calyx 

 nearly one-half as long as the corolla; flowers 

 about 7" long; corolla-tube yellow, the limb 

 paler; anther-sacs broad, transverse; sterile fila- 

 ments wanting; capsule globose, 3" in diameter. 



In wet places, southern New Jersey to Florida, 

 Illinois, Missouri, Texas and Mexico. June-Sept. 



