THE FIGWORT FAMILY 133 



THE FIGWORT FAMILY (Scrophulwiaceae). 



This large family does not contain many weeds. The plants 

 are remarkably variable in appearance and habits of growth. 

 The leaves present almost every form. The flowers are usually 

 in spikes, as the Mulleins, or in panicles, as the rank-smelling 

 Figworts, occasionally axillary and solitary, as the aromatic 

 Musk Flower, but never terminal. In no family, except perhaps 

 the Orchids, are there so many varieties of irregular corollas, 

 which generally have 4 or 5 divisions, either slightly united 

 at the base or completely into a tube. The fruit is a 2-celled 

 capsule, which opens when ripe and allows the numerous seeds 

 to drop out. The Scrophulariaceae are bitterish plants. Some 

 contain a narcotic poison, such as the Foxglove (Digitalis). 

 Among the weeds are the Mulleins (Thapsus); Toad Flax (Linaria 

 vulgaris Hill.); the Speedwells (Veronica), some species of which 

 are troublesome on lawns; Glandular Eyebright (Euphrasia 

 arctica Lange), and Red Bartsia (Odontites rubra Gilib.), intro- 

 duced, both rather common pasture weeds in Prince Edward 

 Island; and Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus Crista-galli L.), an annual 

 weed in low meadows. 



The Consideration of Weeds is very essential to the Husbandmen, because scarce 

 any of his Land escapes from being abundantly infested with them; and none is ever 

 entirely free They utterly destroy some crops; and they never fail to injure others 

 in Proportion to their Xumber and Nature. 



Thomas Hale, The Compleat Body of Husbandry, 1756. 



And though thejT soyle be not verie frutefull, nor their aier very wholesome, yet 

 againste the aj-er they so defende them with tempyerate diete, and so order and husbande 

 their grounde with diligente travaUe, that in no countrey is greater increase, and plenty 

 of come and catteU, nor mens bodies of longer ly^e, and subject or apte to fewer diseases. 



-Sir Thomas More, Utopia, 1515. 



