The genus Scrophularia of the family Scrophulariaceae comprises about 200 species of herbaceous flowering plants commonly known as figworts (but this name also applies for the whole Scrophulariaceae family).
Members of Scrophularia all share square stems, opposite leaves and open two-lipped flowers forming clusters at the end of their stems.
Scrophularia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Phymatopus hectoides.
en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Scrophularia (177 words)
Acupuncturetoday.com | tell me about Scrophularia(Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-01)
Scrophularia has a bitter taste and cold properties, according to the concepts of traditional Chinese medicine.
Scrophularia root is used for various types of sore throats and swollen lymph glands.
Scrophularia should not be used in cases with weakness of the spleen and stomach, especially when the patient has a poor appetite or diarrhea is present.
In this report, the antiinflammatory effects of Scrophularia frutescens L. (Scrophulariaceae) was studied and the iridoid glucoside harpagoside has been evidenced and isolated for the first time from this plant.
In: Phytochemistry (1996 Feb) 41(3):879-82 ISSN: 0031-9422 Scrokoelziside A, isolated from the aerial parts of Scrophularia koelzii was shown to be 3-O-([alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->3), beta-D- glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-beta-D-fucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D- glucopyranosyl]-13 beta,28-epoxyolean-11-en-23-ol, on the basis one- and two-dimensional NMR homo- and hetero-nuclear spectroscopic evidence.
Loganic acid was the most active (44.4% edema inhibition) on the former test, whereas the catalpol derivative mixture isolated from Scrophularia, aucubin, verbenalin, and loganin, showed the highest activity (from 72.0 to 80.0% edema inhibition) on the latter.
Scrophularia ningpoensis (see Figure 2), for which the root is also used in China.
Rehmannia and scrophularia have been shown to have a weak anti-diabetic effect (see: Treatment of diabetes with Chinese herbs), with rehmannia having a stronger action than scrophularia.
Qinggong Tang (Heart Clearing Decoction), which uses scrophularia with rhino horn, ophiopogon, bamboo leaf, lotus plumule, and forsythia, in a formula that is similar in application to the Rhino and Rehmannia Combination.
In this photograph you'll see the tiny flowers, which are insignificant but subtle, and appear in summer - and a few bumbling bees!
Scrophularia is always a good looker - at any time of the gardening year, and it's really easy to propagate by taking off new shoots from the base of the plant.
I discovered this perennial some years ago in the local Botanical Gardens, and was instantly charmed by the cream and green leaf patterns.
Scrophularia atrata, Bubble Bee Plant is a two to four foot perennial with three foot spikes of maroon 1/4-1/2" flowers that seems to be the place to be if you're a bumble bee or a butterfly.
Scrophularia atrata tolerates part sun, full shade, sand,and deer.
Scrophularia atrata's foliage color is Green, and type is Evergreen.
Similar Species: The curiously modified flowers in the terminal panicle are highly distinctive.
The closely related Maryland Figwort (Scrophularia marilandica) (not treated here) has a purple sterile stamen and the outside of the flower is dull, not shiny.
The root was thought to resemble the swellings of piles which resemble figs.
Similar Species: Lanceleaf Figwort AKA Eastern Figwort and Hare Figwort Scrophularia lanceolata has more coarsely toothed leaves and the sterile filament is green or yellow.
It flowers earlier and is found only as far south as the mountains of Virginia.
2bnthewild.com /plants/H359.htm (416 words)
Digital Flora of Texas Vascular Plant Image Library query results: Scrophularia(Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-01)
Scrophulariaceae: Scrophularia marilandica - maturing ovary - close - Holmes County, Ohio - photo: Hugh Wilson
Scrophulariaceae: Scrophularia nodosa from Carl Lindman's Bilder ur Nordens Flora
Scrophulariaceae: Scrophularia nodosa from Otto Wilhelm Thomé's - Flora von Deutschland Österreich und der Schweiz (1885 - 1905)
PLANTS Profile for Scrophularia lanceolata (lanceleaf figwort)
See county distributions for the following states by clicking on them below or on the map.
Scrophularia lanceolata Pursh occures in the following states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Looking south you see the panorama of Mexico and its vast expanse of the Chihuahuan desert.
From Scrophularia’s high altitude habitat of over 7,200 ft. on this mountain’s slopes, Panayoti Kelaidis of the Denver Botanic Gardens collected the seed our stock plants were grown from.
Scrophularia, a very rare Penstemon relative, is a garden treasure blooming from early summer through fall with long wands of white lipped, cherry-red flowers.
Herbal Descriptions - Knotted Figwort - Scrophularia nodosa(Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-01)
Persons with serious medical conditions should always seek professional care.
Knotted Figwort (Scrophularia nodosa), common throughout England, is similar in general habit to the Water Figwort, but differs both in the form of its root and in having more acutely heart-shaped leaves.
The stem, too, is without the projections or wings at its angles, and the lobes of the calyx have only a very narrow membranous margin.
