CLXI. UTEICULAEIE^. 589 



anatropous. Capsule 2-valved, sepiicidal. Seeds minute. Embeto straight, albu- 

 minous. 



Biennials, rarely perennials, generally cottony or woolly, with watery often 

 mucilaginous juice. Leaves alternate, often decurrent, exstipulate. Flowers ? , 

 a little irregular, fascicled, rarely solitary, in simple or branching spiciform racemes. 

 Calyx monosepalous, 5-partite, persistent. Corolla hypogynous, monopetalous, 

 isostemonous, sub-rotate ; limb 5-partite, caducous, aestivation imbricate. Stamens 

 5, inserted on the corolla-tube, and alternate with its lobes ; filaments unequal ; 

 anthers fixed by the middle, or throughout their length, of 2 confluent cells. Ovary 

 with 2 antero-posterior cells, placentee on the septum ; style undivided, dilated at 

 the top ; stigma simple or bilobed ; ovules numerous, anatropous. Capsule 2-celled, 

 septicidally 2-valved, valves bifid at the top. Seeds minute, rugose. Embryo 

 straight, in the axis of a fleshy thick albumen. 



PRINCIPAL GENERA. 

 Vertascum. Oelsia, &c. 



This little order, mainly composed of the genus Verhascum (Mullein), agrees with Solanem in its 

 isostemonous corolla, and with Scrophularinecs in its straight embryo. The Mulleins inhabit the tem- 

 perate regions of the Old World. 



Some indigenous species ( V. Thapsus and phlomoicks) contain a bitter astringent principle in their 

 leaves and a mucous principle in their flowers, combined with a little volatile oil of a sweet taste, 

 whence their use as bechics and sedatives. [Their seeds are used to poison mice and to stupefy fish.] 



CLXI. UTRICULARIE^. 



(Lentibulaeie^, L.-O. Bichard. — IlTKicuLARiK'.ffl, LinTc. — Lentibulariaoeji), 



Lindl.) 



Corolla monopetalous, hypogynous, irregular, anisostemonous. Stamens 2, with 

 1-celled anthers, inserted on the corolla. Ovary 1-celled, placenta central, free ; ovules 

 numerous, anatropous. Fruit capsular. Seeds minute. Embryo straight, exalbu- 

 minous. 



Aquatic or marsh herbs. Leaves all radical, sometimes rosulate, entire, some- 

 what fleshy ; sometimes scattered or whorled, capillary and laden with vesicles, or 

 peltat6. Scapes usually simple, naked or scaly, sometimes furnished with whorled 

 vesicles, l-flowered, or terminating in a spike or raceme. Flowers 5 , irregular, 

 usually bracteate. Calyx persistent, of 2 or 5 sub-equal segments. Corolla 

 monopetalous, hypogynous, personate or 2-labiate ; tube short, spurred at the base ; 

 limb with a 2-fid upper lip, the lower undivided or 3-fid ; palate conYex. or depressed. 

 Stamens 2, inserted at the base of the corolla, under the upper lip, included ; fila- 

 ments cylindric, compressed, arched, convergent ; anthers terminal, usually compressed 

 in the middle, 1 -celled, transversely 2-valved. Ovary free, of 2 carpels, 1-celled ; 

 placenta basilar, globose ; style short, thick; stigma 2-lipped, upper lip shortest, or 



