312 PENTANDRIA— MONOGYNIA. Verbascum. 



/3 from its characters rather seems to be produced by the pollen of 

 this plant falling upon V. nigrum, of which latter therefore it 

 ought, perhaps, to be deemed a variety. But the habit most 

 agrees with the pulverulentum, though the stem and brandies are 

 more angular, and tinged with purple. Leaves less woolly, and 

 more strongly crenate. Hairs of the stamens violet-coloured. 

 Radical leaves considerably stalked. Root generally, if not al- 

 ways, perennial. 



If the stem of V, pulverulentum be smartly struck, 3 or 4 times, 

 with a stick, all the flowers then open will, in a few minutes, 

 throw off their corolla, the calyx closing round the germen, so 

 that after 8 or 10 minutes none will remain on the plant. This 

 curious instance of irritability was first pointed out to me by 

 Don Joseph Correa de Serra, late Portuguese ambassador to the 

 United States, whose scientific knowledge, and philosophical 

 views of every subject, have long procured him universal respect,, 

 and at length the notice and confidence of his sovereign. 



4. V. nigrum. Dark, or Black, Mullein. 



Leaves oblong-heart-shaped, stalked, waved and crenate, 

 slightly downy. Cluster mostly solitary. 



V. nigrum. Linn. Sp. PL 253. Willd. v. 1. 1004. Fl. Br. 251. 

 Engl. Bot. v. 1. t. 59. Hook. Lond.fasc.2. t. 103. Scot. 78. Fl. 

 Dan. t. 10SS. Ger. Em.775.f. Trag. Hist. 218. f. Renealm. 

 Spec. 107. ^. 106. 



V. n. 584. Hall. Hist. v. 1. 257. 



V. tertium. Matth. Valgr. v. 2. 489./. Corner. Epit. 880. /. 



V. nigrum, fiore parvo, apicibus purpureis. Bauh. Hist. v. 3. 857. f. 

 Raii S?jn. 288. 



On banks, and by way sides, in shady lanes, on a gravelly or 

 chalky soil. 



Perennial. July, August. 



Stem simple, erect, 2 or 3 feet high, leafy, angular, brown or pur- 

 plish, terminating in rarely more than one long, upright, cylin- 

 drical, spiked cluster, of bright yellow, aggregntejlowers, smaller 

 than the last; the filaments densely clothed with violet-coloured 

 hairs. Leaves heart-shaped, veiny, waved and crenate, of a fine 

 deep green, somewhat downy, but not hoary, all stalked, except 

 some of the small upper ones ; the radical ones a foot long, and 

 their stalks nearly as much. 



In Switzerland Xhejlowers are occasionally white. Seeds of such 

 a variety, sent to England, produced plants with a large copper- 

 coloured corolla, in the garden of the late Lady Amelia Hume. 



5. V. vlrgatum. Large-flowered Primrose-leaved 



Mullein. 

 Leaves ovate-lanceolate, toothed, sessile ; radical ones downy, 



