Hydrophyllaceae

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Scientific Names

Read about Hydrophyllaceae in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Hydrophyllaceae (from the genus Hydrophyllum, meaning water-leaf). Water-leaf Family. Fig. 50. Annual or perennial herbs: leaves mostly alternate, often lobed: flowers bisexual, regular, mostly in circinate raceme-like clusters; calyx 5-cleft; corolla 5-lobed, often with scales in the throat, gamopetalous, hypogynous, imbricated; stamens 5, alternating with the corolla-lobes, slightly epipetalous; hypogynous disk present; ovary superior, 1-celled, rarely incompletely 2-celled; ovules 2 to several; style 1; stigmas 2: fruit a capsule. The 17 genera and about 170 species are found most abundantly in temperate North America, less commonly southward to Patagonia. A very few are found in south and east Africa, India, Japan, and the Hawaiian Islands. The family is most closely related to the Boraginaceae, but has a 1-celled ovary; more distantly related to the Convolvulaceae and Polemoniaceae. Eriodictyon glutinosum (yerba santa) of California has lately come into use as an expectorant in throat and lung trouble. Hydrophyllum canadense has long had a reputation as a remedy for snake-bites, poison-ivy poisoning, erysipelas, and other skin troubles. About a half dozen genera are in cultivation in N. Americaas ornamental plants. They are used principally for outdoor bedding. Emmenanthe (California Yellow or Golden Bells); Hesperochiron; Hydrophyllum (Water-leaf); Nemophila; and Phacelia. CH The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

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References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

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