BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
249 
CHAPTER LXIII. 
THE FIGWORT FAMILY. (Scrophularinete, Juss.) 
Character of the Order. —Calyx divided, persistent, inferior. 
Corolla monopetalous, hypogynous, usually irregular, deciduous, with 
an imbricated aestivation. Stamens two, or four, didynamous, very 
seldom equal. Ovarium superior, two-celled, many-seeded. Style 
one. Stigma two-lobed. Fruit capsular, very seldom succulent, with 
from two to four valves, which are either entire or bifid ; the dissepi¬ 
ment either double, arising from the incurved margins of the valves ; 
or simple, and in that case, either parallel with or opposite to the valves. 
Placenta; central, either adhering to the dissepiment or separating from 
it. Seeds indefinite. Embryo included within fleshy albumen ; radicle 
turned towards the liilum. Herbaceous plants, seldom shrubs, with 
opposite or alternate leaves. Inflorescence very variable. ( Lindley .) 
Description, &c. —The plants belonging to this order are generally ornamental, particularly the Snapdragon 
and the Foxglove. The Figwort, which gives its name to the order, is, on the contrary, a coarse-growing 
plant, with comparatively small flowers. The order contains several genera of British plants. 
GENUS I. 
THE SPEEDWELL. (Veronica, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. DIANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Generic Character. —Calyx four or five-parted. Corolla rotate; the limb four-parted, unequal, with entire lobes. Stamens two. Capsule 
either separable in two, or bearing the septa in the middle of the valves. (Lindley.) 
Description, &c. —There are eighteen or more British species of this genus, nearly all of which are very 
common weeds. The name of Veronica is of doubtful origin. The genus is placed in the Linnman class and 
order Diandria Monogynia, from its two stamens and its single style. 
* Clusters or spikes terminal. Root perennial. 
1. — THE SPIKED SPEEDWELL. (Veronica spicata, Lin.) 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 2 ; 2nd ed., t. 8; and our Jig. 1, in about the middle only; their base tapering into a footstalk ; radical 
PI. 47. ones obovate. Stem ascending, quite simple. (Smith.) 
Specific Character. —Spike terminal. Leaves bluntly serrated 
Description, &c.—This is a plant which grows in patches; great quantities of it being found in one place, 
and then probably not a single plant of it for miles. The flowers appear at the end of summer, and their 
brilliant colour makes them much admired. 
2.— THE FLESH-COLOURED SHRUBBY SPEEDWELL. (Veronica fruticulosa, Lin.) 
Engravings.— Eng. Bot., t. 1028 ; 2nd ed., t. 10; and our Leaves elliptic-lanceolate. Stems erect; shrubby below. Capsule 
fig- 2, in PI. 47. ovate, with four lanceolate valves. (Smith.) 
Specific Character. —Cluster terminal, elongated, many-flowered. 
Description, &c.— This species has only been found on the Scotch mountains. It is not truly shrubby, 
but the roots are woody, and the base of the stem. It flowers in July. 
THE WELSH SPEEDWELL. (V. hybrida, Lin.) 
This plant is very rare, being only found on the side of Craig Wreidhin in Montgomeryshire, and on 
Humphrey Head in Lancashire. Many doubt whether it is different from V. spicata. It grows, however, much 
K K 
