SCROPHULARIA A quATICA. W ATER-FIGWORT,
W a t e r -Beton t.
or
SCROPHULxARIA Lin. Gen. PI. Didynamia Angiospermia.
Cal. quinquefidus. Cor. fubglobofa, refupinata. Capf. bilocularis.
Raii'Syn. Gen. 18. H erbie fructu sicco singulari, flore m o n o p e t a lO.
SCROPHULARIA aquatica foliis cordatis obtufis petiolatis decurrentibus, caule membranisangulato
racemis- terminalibus. Lin. Syfi. Vegetal?, p. 468. Sp. PI. p. 864.
SCROPHULARIA caule alato quadrangulo paniculato, foliis ovato lanceolatis. Hall. Hijl. 326.
SCROPHULARIA aquatica. Scopoli FI. Cam. n. qqG,
SCROPHULARIA aquatica major. Bauh. Pin. 235.
BETONICA aquatica. Ger. emac. 715.
BETONICA aquatica major. ParttinfonG 13. Raii Syn. 283. Water-Betony, but more truly Water-
Figwort. Hudfon FI. Angl. p. 275. Ligbtfoot FI. Scot. p. 329.
* ROOT perennial, thick, furnilhed with numerous,.
> large, long, white fibres.
| STALK from three to fix feet in height, upright,
| branched, fmooth, four-cornered^ purple, the
angles winged, branches leafy, like the ftalk.
I LEAVES Handing on fqot-ftalks, oppofite, remote from
each other, uniting in fome degree at the bafe,
* current, oblong heart-Ihaped, having fome-
$ times little appendages, obtufe, veiny, crenated,
and fmooth.
$ FLOWERS terminal, growing in a panicle-like fpike;
| BRANCHES .of the panicle oppoiite, trichotomous,
| fupported by a pointed tloral-leaf, flower-ftalks
» lateral, many-flowered, furnilhed with floral
Y leaves, fomewhat vifcid, the middle one
0 folitary.
$ CALYX : a Perianthium of one leaf, divided into
a five fegments and permanent, the fegments
fhorter than the corolla, round and edged
A with a ragged brown membrane, Jig. 1.
COROLLA monopetalous, unequal, of a deep red co-
a lour. Tube globular, large, inflated, fig . 2.
<> Limb deeply divided into, five fegments, the
two uppermoft of which are large!!, fome-
A what upright, and rounded, fig . 3. with an
^ intermediate little fcale like a lmal! lip placed
A underneath them, fig . 4. the two fide ones
^ fpreading, fig . 5. the third very minute and
A rolled up, fig. 6.
v STAMINA: four white, linear, flightly vifcid Fila-
A ments, inclining downward, the length of
A the corolla, two of which are later than the
| others. A nther^e double and yellow,^. 7,8,
A PISTILLUM: G ermen fomewhat conical, fupported
* by a nedlareous gland, fig. 9, 10. Style ta-
A pering, bending downwards a little at the top,
| fig . 11. Stigma blunt and y e llow,^ . 12.
A SEED-VESSEL a roundilh pointed Capsule, of two
Y cavities and two valves, partition formed by
A the edges of the valves turning in, opening at
Y top.
a SEEDS numerous, fmall, and brown,
v RECEPTACLE Angle, roundilh, infinuating itfelf
A into each cavity or cell.
RADIX perennis, crafla, fibris numerofis, majufculis,
longis, albis, donata.
CAULIS tripedalis, ad orgyalem, eredtus, ramofus,
lsevis, quadrangulans, purpureus, angulis, ala-
tis ; rami foliofi, cauli fimiles.
FOLIA petiolata, oppofita, diftantia, decurrentia, fub-
connata, cordato-oblonga, fubinde appendicu-
lata, obtufa, venofa, crenata, nuda.
FLORES paniculato-foicati, terminales.
RAMI paniculae opponti, trichotomi, bradiea lanceolata
fuffulti, pedunculis lateralibus, multifloris,
bradleatis, fubvifcidis, intermedio folitario.
CALYX: Perianthium monophyllum, quinquefi-
dum, perliftens, laciniis corolla brevioribus,
rotundatis, membrana fufca lacera marginatis,
fig-, g . . . .
COROLLA monopetala, maequalis, atro -rubens. Tubus
globofus, magnus, inflatus, fig. 2. Limbus
quinquepartitus, laciniis duabus majoribus fub-
ereftis, rotundatis, fig. 3. cum intermedia
fquamula labrum parvum mentiente fubjefta,
fig. 4. duabus lateralibus patulis, fig . k. tertia
minima fubinvoluta, fig . 6.
STAMINA: Filamenta quatuor, alba, linearia, fub-
vifcida, declinata, longitudine corollae, quorum
duo feriora. A n ther a didymae, flavas,
„ t e - 7 . 8-
PISTILLUM: G ermen fubconicum, glandula ne£la-
rifera cinftum, fig . 9, 10. Stylus fubula-
tus, apice fubincurvatus, fig . 11. Stigma
obtufum, flavum, fig . 12.
PERICARPIUM: Capsula fubrotunda, acuminata,
bilocularis, bivalvis,- diflepimento e margini-
bus valvularum inflexis conftrufto, apice
dehifcens, fig . 13.
SEMINA plurima' parva, fufca.
RECEPTACULUM unum, fubrotundum in utrumque
loculamentum fe infinuans.
The name of Water-Betony (by which this plant is, perhaps, more generally better known than by its other
name of Water-Figwort) has been afligned it from the great limilitude which its leaves bear to thofe of the Wood-,
Betony; but as it differs from it totally in its frudeification, and confequently in its generic charadler, the latter
name is certainly to be preferred.
In its ufual ftate of growth it has little to recommend it as an ornamental plant; but when variegated, few
exceed it in beauty. In this ftate it is not uncommon in the nurferies about London,
It grows naturally by,the fides of rivers, ponds, and wet ditches; and flowers from June to September.
Medicinally the leaves of this fpecies are recommended for the fame purpofes of thole of the Scrophularia
nodofa, to which they have by fome been preferred: in tafte and fmellthey are limilar, but weaker. Mr. Mar-,
chant reports, in the Memoirs of the French Academy, that this plant is the fame with the Iquetaia of the
Brazilians, celebrated as a fpecific corredlor of the ill flavour of Senna. On his authority the Edinburgh College,
m their common infufion of that drug, diredted two-thirds its weight of the Water-Figwort leaves to be joined 5
but as they have now difcarded this ingredient, we may prefume that it was not found to be of much ufe. Lewis's;
Mat. Med. Ed. Aikin, p. 598.
The difagreeable fmell which attends this plant when bruifed makes it rejedted by cattle in general ; nevertheleft,
both its leaves and flowers are much reforted to by different kinds of infedls. The Tenthrcdo Scrophularia Lin.
feeds on its foliage, both in its caterpillar and perfed! ftate. The beautiful caterpillar of the Phalana Verbafci
feeds on this plant as well as on the Mullein. Both bées and wafps colled! great quantities of honey from its
»lowers, and as thefe continue to be produced for a great length qf time, it is one o i thofe plants which perhaps
R^y be made to grow near bee-hives with avantage,