AbstractThe structure of the epidermis and the ontogeny of the stomatal complex of 26 tropical taxa of the family Scrophulariaceae are described. The epidermal cells depict variations with the cells being straight‐walled on both surfaces, straight‐walled on the upper surface only or sinuously walled on both surfaces. Trichomes are also variable. The different types of trichomes observed include unicellular eglandular, peltate glandular and multicellular eglandular. All the investigated species exceptLindernia crustaceaandVeronica abyssinicaare hypostomatic. During the present study three types of stomata are recorded, viz: anomocytic, anisocytic and diacytic types. Anomocytic stomata follow agenous or hemiperigenous ontogenetic development whereas the ontogeny of anisocytic stomata is either hemiperigenous or hemimesogenous. Within limitations stomatal distribution and frequency could serve as reliable taxonomic characters in the tropical taxa of the family Scrophulariac