34S scROPHULAEiACEiE. [Scrophularia. 



with a shorter more close pubescence. 'Leaves bright pale green (not at all glau- 

 cous), a few of the lowermost only usually opposite, all the rest alternate, very 

 shortly stalked, broadly ovale, cordate at base, rounded or subacute, coarsely and 

 for the most part deeply incised-serrate. Peduncles solitary, axillary, single- 

 flowered, downy, mostly but not always longer than the leaves ; in the specimens 

 before me they are sometimes only equal to and even shorter than the latter, 

 spreading or patent when in fruit and a little recurved at ihe apex. Sepals ovate- 

 lanceolate, enlarged in fruit and then divaricating in pairs, rather acute and une- 

 qual, two opposite ones of the four being somewhat less than their fellows, pellu- 

 cidly 3-nerved, the lateral nerves indistinct and evanescent below the summit ; 

 margins of the sepals flat, not reflexed, and ciliated with white hairs, like those 

 which clothe their base, but much shorter. Corolla large (the size of V. Chamae- 

 drys), bright sky-blue streaked with dark purple, variable in size, the flowers pro- 

 duced in spring and early summer being considerably larger than the later blos- 

 soms, as remarked to me by Dr. Bell-Salter, which is an observation I have found 

 to be correct. Segments of the corolla slightly pointed, the 3 superior ones 

 broadly cordato-ovate, the lowermost smaller and narrower, usually paler or even 

 white ; tube closed by connivent pellucid hairs. Stamens with white much 

 dilated Jilaments ; anthers deep blue at first, finally black ; pollen whitish, irregu- 

 lar in shape, the granules mostly oblong or elliptical and truncate, with a central 

 furrow. Style persistent, slender, reddish, a little dilated upwards, as long as the 

 stamens ; stigma whitish, capitate, glanduloso-pilose. Capsule obcordate, much 

 broader than long, subcompressed, very hairy at top, the disk glabrous ; of 2 tur- 

 gid, divaricating, ovalo-orbicular, often obscurely pointed lobes, with thin, acute, 

 ciliated margins, brownish white and reticulate-rugose when ripe, shorter than 

 the enlarged and now widely spreading or divaricate sepals. Seeds about 7 or 8 

 (or even 12, Benth.) in each cell, whitish and subpellucid, ovoid, hollowed on the 

 inner side, convex and subtuberculato-rugose on the outer. 



This species, which is of Asiatic and South-eastern European origin, and has now 

 become naturalized in many parts of Britain, is easily recognized by the much 

 larger size of its bright blue flowers and pale green leaves, by the long, slender 

 and nearly straight pedicels, the ovate-lanceolate acuminate sepals, and the com- 

 pressed sharp-edged lobes of the broadly cordate capsules, with about 8 seeds in 

 each cell. 



** [Corolla ringenl. — Edrs.J 



III. ScEOPHULARiA, Limi. Figwort. 



" Calyx 5-lobed (or in S. vernalis deeply 5-cleft). Corolla sub- 

 globose, its liinh contracted with two short lijis ; the upper with 

 2 straight lobes and frequently a small scale or abortive stamen 

 within it ; the lower 3-lobed, the two lateral lobes straight, middle 

 one decurved. Capsule 2-celled, 2-valved, septicidal, the margins 

 of the valves turned inwards." — Bi'. Fl. 



1. S. nodosa, L. Knotty-rooted Figivort. Great Figwort. 

 " Leaves cordate-triangular acute glabrous doubly and acutely 

 serrate, lower serratures largest, stem with 4 acute angles, cymes 

 lax, bracteas small lanceolate acute, sepals with a narrow mem- 

 branous margin, scale of upper lip transversely oblong sUghtly 

 notched, root tuberous."— 5r. Fl. p. 297. E. B. t. 1544. 



In damp shady places, woods, thickets, hedges, moist pastures, banks of 

 streams, &c. ; very frequent. jF/. June — August. Fr. August, September. 2(. 



Capsules pale brown, ovalo-glol)Ose, mucronato- acuminate, veined and gla- 

 brous. Seeds numerous, blackish, oblong or roundish, obtuse, deeply and longi- 

 tudinally furrowed, punctato-rugose. 



