Distribution:  Worldwide with no pronounced center of diversity. We have 31 genera and 109 species in the Texas flora, including several endemic species from four genera.
 

Floral structure:

Significant features:  This family shows a floral structure similar to that found in the Lamiaceae and Verbenaceae of the Lamiales.  It is characterized by the presence of a zygomorphic, often bilabiate, corolla.  Reduction of stamen number is usually concordant with zygomorphy in that the fifth stamen does not 'fit' into a corolla that shows bilateral symmetry.  However, as opposed to the Lamiales, taxa of the Scrophulariaceae produce a capsular fruit, similar to those produced by the Solanales.  Thus, this family can be consider as an 'intermediate' element of the Asteridae that fits between the Solanales and the Lamiales.
 
 

Digitalis purpurea - a fairly typical 'scroph' - overview (left) from Lindman and inflorescence (right).  Also, see Thome's image)

laxiflorus	cobaea	murrayanus

inflorescence	annotated	flower	calyx/corolla/gynoecium

More information on the Scrophulariaceae