Scrophularia lanceolata Pursh
lance-leaved figwort (lanceleaf figwort)
Scrophulariaceae (Butterfly-bush family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
lance-leaved figwort (lanceleaf figwort)
Scrophulariaceae (Butterfly-bush family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Photograph
Species Information
General:
Perennial herb from thickened roots; stems erect, 80-150 cm tall, clustered, 4-angled, minutely glandular-hairy.
Leaves:
Opposite, stalked, the stalks 1-4 cm long, the blades egg-shaped to lance-triangular, 5-15 cm long, coarsely single- to double-sawtoothed.
Flowers:
Inflorescence a long, narrow branched, terminal cluster of stalked flowers, the stalks glandular-hairy, corollas 8-14 mm long, yellowish-green to greenish-brown, urn-shaped, 2-lipped, the upper lip pointing forward, 2-lobed, the lower lip shorter, 3-lobed, the middle lobe pointing down; calyces 3-4 mm long, 5-lobed, the lobes egg-shaped, rounded; fertile stamens 4, sterile stamen 1, attached near the base of the upper lip, yellow-green, fan-shaped, wider than long.
Fruits:
Capsules, pear-shaped, 6-8 mm long; seeds numerous, oblong egg-shaped, angular, ridged.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
Habitat and Range
Moist to mesic roadsides, clearings, thickets and forest edges in the lowland and montane zones; rare on Vancouver Island and in SC BC; E to PQ and NS and S to VT, PA, NC, IN, IO, OK, NM, UT, NV and CA.Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Scrophularia leporella Bicknell
Scrophularia occidentalis (Rydb.) Bichn.
Scrophularia pectinata Raf.
Taxonomic Keys
1. Sterile stamens purple or brown, mostly 0.5-1 mm wide and slightly longer than wide; corollas dark maroon, at least on the upper lip....................Scrophularia californica
1. Sterile stamens yellow-green, generally 1-1.8 mm wide and slightly wider than long; corollas yellowish-green with a light maroon overcast, especially above.......................Scrophularia lanceolata |