FIGWORT FAMILY 



733 



1. Verbascum Blattaria L. Moth Mullein. Fig. 4634. 



Verbascum Blattaria L. Sp. PI. 178. 1753. 



Stem 4-12 dm. tall, simple or slightly branched, distally glandular-pubescent. _Cauline_ leaf- 

 blades 2-12 cm. long, elliptic to ovate, doubly serrate-crenate, not decurrent; pedicels solitary, 

 10-15 mm. long, much exceeding the lance-subulate bracts; sepals 5-8 mm. long, linear-lance- 

 olate ; corolla 25-30 mm. wide, yellow or white ; capsule 6-8 mm. long. 



Fields and roadsides, naturalized from Eurasia. May-Oct. 



2. Verbascum virgatum Stokes. Wand Mullein. Fig. 4635. 



Verbascum virgatum Stokes ex With. Bot. Arr. Brit. PI. ed. 2. 1: 227. 1787-93. 



Stem 6-12 dm. tall, simple or slightly virgately branched, stellate-pubescent. Cauline leaf- 

 blades 7-15 cm. long, lanceolate, crenate, not decurrent; pedicels 1-4, 2-5 mm. long, shorter than 

 or equaling the ovate bracts; sepals 5-6 mm. long, lanceolate; corolla about 25 mm. wide, 

 yellow ; capsule 7-8 mm. long. 



Roadsides, southern California, naturalized from Eurasia. May-Oct. 



3. Verbascum speciosum Schrad. Showy Mullein. Fig. 4636. 



Verbascum speciosum Schrad. Ind. Sem. BLort. Gotting. 22. pi. 16. 1809. 



Plant canescent with stellately branched hairs; stem 10-15 dm. tall, branching in the in- 

 florescence. Cauline leaf -blades 30-40 cm. long, oblanceolate, entire, not decurrent; pedicels 5- 

 10 mm. long, 5 to 9 in a fascicle that exceeds the short ovate bracts; sepals 4-4.5 mm. long, 

 linear ; corolla 20 mm. wide, yellow ; capsule 5 mm. long, stellate-pubescent. 



Sandy waste places, Portland, Oregon, naturalized from Eurasia. 



4. Verbascum Thapsus L. Woolly Mullein. Fig. 4637. 



Verbascum Thapsus L. Sp. PI. 177. 17S3. 



Plant densely tomentose with stellately branched hairs ; stem 3-12 dm. tall, simple. Cauline 

 leaf-blades 5-30 cm. long, elliptic-lanceolate, entire or nearly so, long-decurrent ; pedicels less 

 than 2 mm. long, usually 1 to an axil, much exceeded by the bracts ; sepals 7-9 mm. long, lance- 

 olate or ovate with caudate tip; corolla 15-20 mm. wide, yellow; capsule 8 mm. long. 



Roadsides and fields, throughout temperate North America, naturalized from Eurasia. June-Sept. 



9. PENSTEMON* Mitch. Nov. Gen. PI. Virg. 36. 1769. 



Perennial herbs or shrubs. Leaves opposite, rarely ternate or the upper ones alter- 

 nate, the lower usually petiolate, the upper sessile. Flowers show^-, in racemose, thyrsoid, 

 or cymose panicles. Calyx 5-parted. Corolla tubular, the throat often ampliate, the limb 

 nearly regular to strongly bilabiate, the upper lip 2-lobed, the lower lip 3-cleft. Fertile 

 stamens 4, paired, with arching filaments, a fifth represented by a long sterile filament 

 (staminode) often dorsally bearded; anthers 2-celled, the cells frequently confluent. Cap- 



4: A jM^^y/m^ 



4634 

 4634. Verbascum Blattaria 



4635 

 4635. Verbascum virgatum 



4636 



4636. Verbascum speciosum 



Text contributed by David Daniels Keck. 



