Boraginacea 175 



Linaria, Toadflax. Differs from Snapdragon in having 

 spurred corolla. 



Melanipyrum, Cow-wheat. Calyx four-cleft ; corolla rin- 

 gent, upper lip compressed laterally. 



Rhinanthus, Rattle. Differs from the last in having the 

 calyx much swollen, with four small teeth. 



Scrophularia, Figwort. Calyx five-lobed ; corolla ringent, 

 nearly globose ; flowers small. Poisonous. 



Verbascum, Mullein. Corolla rotate, five-lobed; five stamens. 



Veronica, Speedwell. Corolla rotate, four-lobed ; two 

 stamens. 



BORAGINACE^. 



Typical plant. Forget-me-not (Myosotis palustris, fig. 157). 



Note, plant herbaceous (in many Boraginaceae the herbage 

 is very coarse and rough with numerous hairs — hispid) ; leaves 

 alternate ; flowers in a scorpioid cyme ; calyx inferior, gamo- 

 sepalous, five-lobed; corolla regular, gamopetalous, five- 

 lobed, the throat closed by five short notched scales (in some 

 Boraginaceae the corolla is almost irregular, and in some cases 

 the scales are absent) ; stamens five, epipetalous ; pistil 

 superior, four-lobed, composed of two carpels, each divided by 

 its dorsal suture being bent inwards ; style gynobasic — that is, 

 growing up between the four ovaries and looking as though it 

 were a prolongation of the thalamus. 



The plants of the order are chiefly natives of the temperate 

 regions of the Northern Hemisphere. 



Principal British Genera. 



Anchusa, Alkanet. Corolla funnel-shaped with a straight 

 tube, the throat closed by five blunt white scales, An exotic 

 species, cultivated in S. Europe, has a dark blood-red root, 

 which is chiefly employed to colour oils for perfumery and other 

 purposes. 



Borago, Borage. A very coarse hispid herb ; corolla rotate, 

 with five broad notched scales (figs. 188 and 198). It contains 

 nitrate of potash, which gives coolness to beverages in which 

 it is steeped, hence is used in claret cup. 



