Scrophularia auriculata L.
water figwort
Perennial, lacking nodular roots; stems to c. 80 cm high, narrowly winged just below infl. and above first few cymes. Petioles to 10 cm long on basal lvs, much less on stem lvs. Lamina 6-18 × 2-6 cm, smaller below infl., oblong, ovate-oblong or elliptic-oblong, hairy at first, becoming glabrous above and often glabrate below later, crenate or less commonly crenate-serrate; base subcordate to rounded, sometimes very oblique or with 1-2 small basal leaflets; apex obtuse or rounded. Cymes in panicles in the axils of mostly linear bracts, shortly glandular hairy; rachis angled. Pedicels usually several × > fls, but sometimes shorter. Calyx 2-3.5 mm long; lobes broad-ovate with scarious margin 0.5-1 mm wide and becoming lacerate. Corolla 7-10 mm long, greenish below, reddish brown or purplish brown above, especially the erect, rounded larger lobes of the upper lip. Staminode orbicular or suborbicular, entire. Capsule c. 5 mm long, ovoid or subglobose. Seed ribbed, ± truncate or obtuse.
N.: a number of localities in the northern half of N. Auckland, Opotiki District (Bay of Plenty); S.: Taieri R. (near Outram, Otago).
W. Europe, N. Africa 1940
A generally uncommon plant but believed to be increasing; river banks or roadsides in high rainfall areas, sometimes also in damp pastures.
FL Aug-Apr.
Water figwort or water betony has often been called S. aquatica, and was recorded as such by Allan (1940); S. aquatica L. is now regarded as a nom. ambig. Allan also confused S. nodosa with S. auriculata, as the specimen on which his record of S. nodosa is probably based (CHR 23271, Waihou Valley, N. Auckland, Lee, Nov-Dec. 1939, determined by Allan) is referable to S. auriculata.
