SCROPHULARIACEAE

FIGWORT FAMILY

Lawrence R. Heckard, Family Coordinator

Annual to shrubs, generally glandular, some green root-parasites
Stem generally round
Leaves generally alternate, simple, generally ± entire; stipules generally 0
Inflorescence: spike to panicle, generally bracted, or flowers 1–2 in axils
Flower bisexual; calyx lobes generally 5; corolla generally strongly bilateral, generally 2-lipped (upper lip generally 2-lobed, lower lip generally 3-lobed); stamens generally 4 in 2 pairs, generally included, a 5th (generally uppermost) sometimes present as a staminode; pistil 1, ovary superior, chambers generally 2, placentas axile, style 1, stigma lobes generally 2
Fruit: capsule, generally ± ovoid, loculicidal or septicidal
Seed: coat sculpture often characteristic
Genera in family: ± 200 genera, 3000 species: ± worldwide; some cultivated as ornamental (e.g., Antirrhinum, Mimulus, Penstemon ) or medicinal (Digitalis )
Recent taxonomic note: Recently treated to include only Buddleja, Scrophularia, and Verbascum in CA; other genera moved to Orobanchaceae (Castilleja, Cordylanthus, Orthocarpus, Pedicularis, Triphysaria), Phrymaceae (Mimulus), and Plantaginaceae (= Veronicaceae sensu Olmstead et al.)
Key to genera by Elizabeth Chase Neese & Margriet Wetherwax.

HEBE

Elizabeth McClintock

Shrub
Leaves simple, opposite, 4-ranked, sessile or nearly so, evergreen
Inflorescence: generally raceme, generally axillary, dense, many-flowered
Flower bisexual, generally bilateral; calyx generally 4-lobed; corolla often 4-lobed, often ± blue, tube short, lobes spreading; stamens 2, exserted; staminodes 0; style exserted
Fruit: capsule, septicidal
Seeds few–many, generally flat, smooth
Species in genus: ± 100 species: especially New Zealand, also South America, se Australia, New Guinea; many cultivated as ornamental
Etymology: (Greek: Hebe, goddess of youth, cup-bearer to the gods, wife of Hercules)