N. ORD.-SCROPHULARIACEZ. 4140 
Tribe.—VERBASCEL. 
GENUS.—VERBASCUM,* LINN. 
SEX, SYST.—PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA, 
. 
VERBASCUM. 
MULLEIN. 
SYN.—VERBASCUM THAPSUS, LINN.; TAPSUS BARBATUS, GER. 
COM. NAMES.—COMMON MULLEIN; HIGH TAPER; COW’S LUNG WORT; 
FLANNEL PLANT; (FR.) MOLENE, BOUILLON-BLANC ; (GER.) KONIGS- 
KERZE, WOLLKRADT. 
A TINCTURE OF THE WHOLE FRESH HERB, VERBASCUM THAPSUS, LINN. 
Description.—This densely woolly, pale green biennial weed, grows to a 
height of from 3 to 6 feet or more. Séem stout, simple, and very straight; /eaves 
alternate, crowded, oblong, acute, entire or nearly so, and so far decurrent at the 
base that the stem appears winged. Jnflorescence a simple, dense, terminal, 
cylindrical spike, from 1 to 2 feet in length. Zowers ephemeral, closing during 
sunshine. Calyx 5-parted; dodes lanceolate, acute. Corolla open or concave, 
somewhat rotate, the tube scarcely apparent; /odes 5, broad, acute, nearly equal. 
Stamens 5; filaments curved, the lower two longest and naked, the lateral pair 
longer than the upper one, and the latter three bearded; anthers 5, 1-celled by 
confluence. Séy/e cylindrical, curved; ségma capitate, or merely a stigmatose 
dilation of the apex of the style. od globular, septicidally 2-valved; valves 
2-cleft; seeds numerous, wrinkled. 
Scrophulariaceee—This large family of herbs, or rarely small shrubs and 
trees, is noted for its many narcotic-poisonous species. In its general character it 
bears some resemblance to the Labiatez, but is separated from that order by 
many intervening families. It is characterized as follows: Leaves either opposite 
or alternate, sometimes whorled; stipules none. Inflorescence various; primary 
centripetal ; secondary centrifugal when present; flowers perfect, more or less irreg- 
ular and bilabiate; ca/ya and corolla 5-merous, the former persistent, the latter 
personate ; sometimes, however, they are 4-merous, but all four stamens are not 
always present, and in one genus (Synthyris) the corolla is entirely wanting. 
Stamens didynamous or diandrous, rarely 5 and perfect ( Verbascum), when any are 
abortive it is usually the superior one; //aments inserted upon the tube of the 
corolla. Ovary 2-celled; placentae axial; ovules several | to numerous, rarely one, 
* Altered from Barbascum, the old Latin name, signifying the bearded pa sopeeee 
