Family: Scrophulariaceae
Common name: figwort, snapdragon family [Zomlefer, pp. 250-254]
Diversity: Worldwide: 220 genera; 3,000 species
U.S.: 40 genera
PNW (Hitchcock & Cronquist): 30 genera
Flower -- Vegetative Features -- Economic Importance -- Flower Images-- Web Sites


Flower
K(5) Co(5) S4 P(2)
Sexuality: bisexual
Symmetry: zygomorphic
Inflorescence: raceme or cyme
Calyx (sepals): 5 (sometimes 4), united
Corolla (petals): 5 (sometimes 4), fused into a long or short tube, sometimes two-lipped (=bilabiate)
Androecium: 4, didynamous (=in two, paired lengths), rarely 2 or 5
Gynoecium: 2 united carpels, superior ovary (=hypogynous), single style, axile placentation, numerous ovules
Fruit: capsule or berry
Other features:


Vegetative Features
round stems
Leaves: opposite, alternate, or (rarely) whorled
simple, entire to dissected, exstipulate
Life-history: annual to perennial
Habit: herbs, some shrubs, rarely trees
Distribution & Ecology: cosmopolitan, diversity centered in the Mediterranean
range of parasitic lifestyles (hemiparasites to holoparasites)
Some Northwest Genera: Castilleja, paintbrush
Collinsia, blue-eyed mary
Digitalis, foxglove
Linaria, butter and eggs
Mimulus, monkey flower
Orthocarpus, owl-clover
Pedicularis, lousewort
Penstemon, beardtongue
Verbascum, mullein
Veronica, speedwell


Economic Importance
Crops: medicinal plant Digitalis, foxglove
Ornamentals: garden ornamentals
Antirrhinum, snapdragon
Weedy and pest species:


Examples Scrophulariaceae Castilleja
Scrophulariaceae Collinsia
Scrophulariaceae Mimulus
Scrophulariaceae Orthocarpus
Scrophulariaceae Penstemon
click on the genus name for a flower image



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