Reconciling the Structure and Function of Three Figworts: Scrophularia californica, Scrophularia scorodonia, and Galvezia juncea
Our plant, Scrophularia californica, is also known as “California figwort,” and belongs to the broader Scrophulariaceae family of flowering plants commonly known as figworts. The sample of Scrophularia californica from CCH2 that we analyzed was collected by N.M. Gauss on May 6, 1961 in the Santa Monica Mountains in California along Potrero Road in Long Grade Canyon. The plant is classified under the Scrophularia californica Cham. & Schldtl. taxon under the Scrophulariaceae family. The specimen was treated under Lauryl pentachlorophenate, which is a chemical preservant. Scrophularia californica has a variety of medicinal active agents and medical uses. The primary active agents in the plants are iridoids which have anti-inflammatory properties and phenylpropanoids which provide antioxidant and antibacterial benefits. Similarly to many other species in the figwort family, Scrophularia californica is frequently used topically for inflammation such as stings, bites, rashes, and burns.
The historical image of Scrophularia scorodonia, a sister species of Scophularia californica, that was analyzed was created by James Sowerby in London, England on November 1, 1810. It is a colored engraving that depicts a flowering stem and floral segments. At the base of the plant in the image, there are pairs of leaves with branches of flower buds coming off of them. Moving up the main stem of the plant in the image, the progression of bud to flower is shown, with flowers depicted in pencil sketch towards the top of the image. On the bottom left of the image, there is a sketch of a flower as if it were sliced in half, showing the parts inside the petals. The sketch is highly detailed, with the author including subtle elements such as the small fuzz like extensions of the main stem and veins on the leaves. The image was created to show the intricacies of the plant and enable others to identify it if they were to encounter it in the wild (“Figwort (Scrophularia Scorodonia)”). As for the uses of the Scrophularia scorodonia plant, researchers have found that chemicals, such as angoroside A/C/D, acteoside, isoacteoside, and scorodioside, all contribute to the plant’s antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties (Pasdaran and Hamedi).
The live specimen of Galvezia juncea, commonly known as the Cedros Island Snapdragon, was located in the Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden on Februrary 4, 2022. The plant was located in the Northeast end of the garden, adjacent to a fork in the path along the nursery fence and in direct sunlight. The organism was low to the ground, standing at about three feet tall, and originated from Baja California, suggesting that it prefers low-water, sunny, dry climates. The stems of the plant range from 3-6 feet long, longer than the stems of the other organisms, indicating the plant may expend more energy transporting materials throughout its body. The flowers of the Galvezia juncea plant are small (~2-3 cm in length, ~0.5-0.75 cm in width), long, trumpet-shaped, and only slightly open up at one end when fully bloomed, which differs from the blossoms of the other species. The bright red color is easy to notice, which suggests that the plant heavily relies on pollination from animals/insects. The small opening of the flower suggests that the pollination agents have small beaks/small bodies in order to reach the flowers' pollen, which is supported by further research indicating the plant attracts hummingbirds. While there are no explicit medicinal uses for Galvezia juncea, other snapdragon species have been used in countries such as Russia for edible oils extracted from their seeds. Snapdragons also have anti-inflammatory, stimulant compounds present in their leaves and flowers, which are applied as poultices to treat inflammation such as skin tumors and ulcers. The flowers have also been consumed since they are a great source of vitamins, while green dye can also be gathered from the leaves and stems.
Citations:
CCH2 Portal Detailed Collection Record Information. https://www.cch2.org/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=5217088&clid=0. Accessed 18 Feb. 2022.
“Figwort (Scrophularia Scorodonia): Flowering Stem and Floral Segments. Coloured Engraving after J. Sowerby, 1810.” Wellcome Collection, https://wellcomecollection.org/works/ez9k8u9p. Accessed 18 Feb. 2022.
Medicinal Herbs: SNAPDRAGON - Antirrhinum Majus. http://www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/a/antirrhinum-majus=snapdragon.php. Accessed 18 Feb. 2022.
Pasdaran, Ardalan, and Azadeh Hamedi. “The Genus Scrophularia: A Source of Iridoids and Terpenoids with a Diverse Biological Activity.” Pharmaceutical Biology, vol. 55, no. 1, Nov. 2017, pp. 2211–33. PubMed Central, https://doi.org/10.1080/13880209.2017.1397178.
Staff, Freak of Natural. “SNAPDRAGON: Uses and Benefits.” Freak of Natural, 13 Nov. 2018, https://freakofnatural.com/snapdragon/.