Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 269. Cl 14. Ord. 2. Didynamia Angiospermia. Nat. ord. Scrophularineae. G. 1152. Calyx five-cleft. Corolla subglobular, resupine. Capsule two-celled. Species 2. S. nodosa. Knobby-rooted Figwort. Smith, Flora

Brit. 663. Eng. Bot. 1544. Officinal. Scrophularia; folia, Dub. Figwort herb.

Syn. La Scrophulaire aquatique (F.) Die Wasser-Braunwurz (G.), Water- " speenkruid (Dutch), Scrofularia aquatica (I.), Escrofularia aguatica (S.), Escrofularia dos rios (Port.).

This is an indigenous perennial plant, growing in woods and about hedges, flowering in July. The root is tuberous and knobbed or granulated. The stem rises three feet in height; is erect, simple, sharply quadrangular, smooth, and leafy. The leaves are opposite, petiolate, cordate, pointed, unequally serrated, veined, smooth, cut away at the base to the two small lateral veins, and as if three-nerved. The flowers are in terminal bunches, erect, with the peduncles opposite, dichotomous, and bracteolated : of a dark blood-red colour: the capsules are ovate and pointed.

Qualities.-The recent leaves have a rank, foetid odour, resembling that of elder leaves, and a bitterish, disagreeable taste; but both these qualities are nearly lost by drying. They yield their virtues to water; and the infusion precipitates sulphate of iron brown.

Medical properties and uses.-Figwort is supposed to possess diuretic and sedative properties. It has been used in scrofula, whence its name; and is recommended as a fomentation to piles, malignant tumours, spreading ulcers, and cutaneous eruptions, but is very little known in practice.