OEOBANCHACE^ — SCEOPHULARIACE^. 551 



cellular portion, surrounded by numerous fibro-vascular bundles, 

 which are arranged in a circle without any medullary rays. Tubers 

 exist at the lower part, whence subterranean buds are developed. 

 Sometimes the fibro-vascular bundles of the plants, to which the 

 Broom-rapes are attached, are found ramifying in the substance of the 

 parasite. Lathrma squama/ria, Tooth-wort, is parasitical upon the 

 root's of Hazels, Cherry-laurels, and other trees. Epipheffus mrginiana, 

 Beech-drops, has been used in powder as an application to cancerous 

 sores. In conjunction with Arsenious acid it is supposed to have 

 constituted the specific known in North America under the name 

 of Martin's Cancer Powder. 



Order 129. — SceophulaeiacEjE, the Figwort Family. (Monopet. 

 Hypog.) Calyx divided into 4 or 5 parts, unequal, persistent, inferior 

 (fig. 312 c, p. 203). Corolla monopetalous, more or less irregular 

 and bilabiate (fig. 312 p, p. 203), or personate (fig. 325, p. 207), 

 sometimes spurred or saccate at the base ; aestivation imbricate. In 

 the bud, the flowers are regular (fig. 336, p. 211). Stamens usually 

 4, didynamous (figs. 376, p. 225 ; 378, p. 227), rarely 5, sometimes 

 2 ; anthers bilocular, or unilocular by abortion or adhesion. Ovary 

 free, 2-celled ; ovules usually 00 ; style simple ; stigma 2-lobed, rarely 

 entire. Fruit capsular, rarely fleshy, dicarpellary, 2-celled (cells 

 antero-posterior) (fig. 541, p. 304), 2-4-valved, opening by septicidal 

 or loculicidal dehiscence, rarely by pores (fig. 558, J). 308) or lids, 

 the dissepiments becoming finally loose in the centre (fig. 542, p. 

 304). Placentas attached to the dissepiment, and sometimes in the 

 mature fruit becoming central. Seeds definite or 00 ; embryo straight 

 or slightly curved, included within fleshy albumen. — Herbs, under- 

 shrubs, or shrubs, with opposite, whorled or alternate leaves. They are 

 found generally distributed over the globe, both in cold and warm 

 regions. The order has been divided by Bentham into three sec- 

 tions : — 1. Salpiglossideae, sestivation of corolla plicate or imbricate, 

 2 posterior lobes outside. 2. Antirrhinese, corolla bilabiate, aesti- 

 vation imbricate, the posterior lip outside the anterior one. 3. Ehin- 

 anthese, aestivation of corolla imbricate, the two lateral lobes, or one 

 of them, placed outside. Many of the Ehinantheae, such as Euphrasia, 

 Ehinanthus, and Melampyrum, are said to be root parasites. There 

 are 183 known genera and about 1800 species. Examples — Schiz- 

 anthus, Salpiglossis, Calceolaria, Verbascum, Antirrhinum, Scrophu- 

 laria, Pentstemon, Mimulus, Digitalis, Veronica, Ehinanthus, 

 Melampyrum. 



The plants of the order are usually scentless, or at all events not 

 aromatic. They are acrid and slightly bitter, and some of them are 

 sedative and poisonous. Some of the plants of the order belong to 

 the tribe of Eoot-parasites. This is particularly the case with species 

 of Euphrasia, Ehinanthus, Bartsia, Melampyrum, and Pedindaris. 



