PlantNET Home DONATE TODAY | PlantNET Home | Search NSW Flora | Contact Us  
FloraOnline
Introduction
Plant Name Search
Index Search
Spatial Search
Identification Keys
Classification
Glossary
WeedAlert
Telopea Journal
Other Data Sources
NEW SOUTH WALES FLORA ONLINE Printable Page

Family Scrophulariaceae

Synonyms: Myoporaceae APNI*
Buddlejaceae APNI*
Selaginaceae APNI*

Description: Herbs, rarely shrubs or climbers, sometimes semiparasitic, glabrous or hairy, often with minute sessile glands.

Leaves alternate, opposite or whorled or clustered, simple, stipules absent.

Inflorescence a raceme or spike with flowers 1–several in bract axils, or flowers solitary; bracts leaf-like or reduced. Flowers zygomorphic to ± actinomorphic, bisexual, 3–5-merous. Calyx tubular and 3–5-lobed or sepals 4 or 5 and ± free; persistent in fruit. Corolla tubular, 2-lipped or ± equally 3–5-lobed, the mouth often restricted by swellings (the palate); tube sometimes extended into a spur at base; usually not persistent in fruit. Stamens epipetalous, usually 4 in pairs of unequal length (didynamous), or 2, with or without a pair of staminodes or rarely stamens 5; anthers 2- or 1-locular, opening by longitudinal slits or almost pores. Ovary superior, 2-carpellate and 2-locular with the septum in the lateral plane; placentation axile or free-central (Limosella); ovules many; style 1, terminal, with a simple or 2-lobed stigma.

Fruit partly or completely enclosed in persistent calyx, either a septicidal and/or loculicidal capsule, splitting usually from the apex, sometimes from the base, or consisting of 2 1-seeded nutlets (cocci).


Distribution and occurrence: World: 54 genera, c. 1800 species, cosmopolitan. Australia: 17 genera, all States.

External links:
Angiosperm Phylogeny Website (Family: Scrophulariaceae, Order: Lamiales)
Wikipedia

Text by W. R. Barker, except for genera with other contributors listed
Taxon concept: APG IV

Taxa not yet included in identification key
Hebenstretia,    Selago

 Key to the genera 
1Shrubs or trees2
Herbs or sub-shrubs4
2Corolla zygomorphic (rarely actinomorphic and then stamens 5); stamens usually 4, enclosed or exsertedEremophila
Corolla actinomorphic or nearly so; stamens 4, enclosed or exserted
                       Back to 1
3
3Undersurface of leaves with stellate hairs and or glandular/scalyBuddleja
Leaves nearly always glabrous, but if hairy then hairs simple
                       Back to 2
Myoporum
4Leaves basal, either either alternate and basal or basal due to the suppression of the internodes5
No basal leaves present; leaves opposite
                       Back to 1
6
5Flowers in terminal racemes or spikes or panicles; leaves alternate along flowering stemVerbascum
Flowerssolitary and found in the axils at the base of the plant
                       Back to 4
Limosella
6Corolla tube swollen or pouched at base; capsule asymmetric in side viewNemesia
Corolla tube symmetrical at base; capule symmetrical in side view
                       Back to 4
Scrophularia

  Privacy | Copyright | Disclaimer | About PlantNET | Cite PlantNET