Vol. III.] 



FIGWORT FAMILY. 

 20. LEPTANDRA Nutt. Gen. i: 7. 



171 



1818. 



Tall stout erect perennial herbs, with verticillate or opposite leaves, and small minutely 

 bracted white' or blue flowers, in dense peduncled spike-like racemes, terminal, or in the 

 upper axils. Calyx 4-parted, short. Corolla tubular, or salverform, nearly regular, 4-lobed, 

 the tube cylindric, longer than the lobes. Stamens 2, exserted, inserted low down on the 

 corolla-tube; filaments filiform; anthers obtuse, short. Style about as long as the stamens, 

 stigma minute. Capsule narrowly ovoid, scarcely compressed, not emarginate nor obcor- 

 date, 4-valved at the apex. Seeds numerous, oval, minutely reticulated. [Greek, slender 

 stamens, referring to the filaments.] 



Two species, i native of eastern North America, the other of northeastern Asia. 



i. Leptandra Virginica (L.) Nutt. 

 Culver' s-root. (Fig. 3299.) 



Veronica Virginica L- Sp. PI. 9. 1753. 

 Leptandra Virginica Nutt. Gen. 1:7. 1818. 



Stem glabrous, or very nearly so, simple, strict, 2 - 

 7 high. Leaves verticillate in 3's-9's or some of the 

 uppermost opposite, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 

 short-petioled, long-acuminate at the apex, sharply 

 serrulate, narrowed at the base, pinnately veined, gla- 

 brous both sides, or pubescent beneath, 3 / -6 / long, % f - 

 i / wide; spike like racemes several or rarely solitary, 3'- 

 9' long, very dense, the terminal one first developing; 

 pedicels and bractlets about as long as the calyx; calyx- 

 segments ovate-lanceolate, acute; corolla tubular, white 

 or bluish, 2" long; capsule ovoid-oblong, i // -i^4 // 

 long, 2-3 times as long as the calyx. 



In meadows, moist woods and thickets, Nova Scotia to 

 British Columbia, south to Alabama, Missouri, and Ne- 

 braska. Ascends to 2700 ft. in Virginia. Called also 

 Black-root and Culver's Physic. June-Sept. 



21. DIGITALIS L. Sp. PI. 621. 1753. 



Tall biennial or perennial herbs, the stems simple, or branched at the base, with alter- 

 nate dentate or entire leaves, and large showy purple yellowish or white flowers, in long ter- 

 minal commonly 1 -sided racemes. Calyx 5 -parted, the segments imbricated. Corolla de- 

 clined, somewhat irregular, the tube contracted above the ovary, then rather abruptly 

 expanded, longer than the 4-5-lobed slightly 2-lipped limb; upper lip broadly emarginate or 

 2-cleft; lower lip 3-lobed, the middle lobe largest, the lateral ones exterior in the bud. 

 Stamens 4, didynamous, ascending, mostly included; anthers approximate in pairs. Style 

 slender; stigma 2 lobed. Capsule ovoid, septicidally dehiscent. Seeds numerous, rugose. 

 [Latin, digilale, the finger of a glove, which the flowers resemble.] 



About 20 species, natives of Europe and Asia. 



i. Digitalis purpurea L. Purple Fox- 

 glove. Thimbles. Fairy Cap. (Fig. 3300.) 

 Digitalis purpurea L. Sp. PI. 621. 1753. 



Usually biennial, pubescent; stem stout, erect, 



2-5 high. Basal and lower leaves ovate or 



ovate-lanceolate, 6 / -io / long, slender petioled, 



acute at the apex, narrowed at the base, dentate; 



upper leaves similar, smaller, sessile; racemes i 



long or more, dense, i-sided; flowers purple, 



i^ / -2 / long, drooping; upper calyx-segment 



narrower than the four other foliaceous ones; 



corolla spotted within. 



Cape Breton Island, apparently naturalized from 

 Europe (according to Macoun); sparingly escaped 

 from cultivation. June-Aug. Among some 60 Eng- 

 lish names are Folk 's-glove [by corruption Fox- 

 glove], i. e., Fairy 's-glove, Fairy-thimbles, -fingers, 

 -weed, Fairy Bells, Pop-dock or glove, Rabbit's- 

 flower, Cottagers, Lion's Mouth, Scotch Mercury, 

 Throatwort, Lady-fingers, -glove, -thimble. 



