138 IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



Verbascum L. Sp. PL 177. 1753. 



Biennials, with alternate leaves, and ephemeral race- 

 mose or spicate flowers, calyx S-parted, corolla rotate, 

 with five subequal lobes. Stamens 5, all perfect; three or 

 five of the filaments bearded. Represented in Iowa by the 

 following two species: 



Verbascum thapsus L. Sp. PL 177. 1753. 



Growing 2-5 feet high, woolly throughout, rarely 

 branched; leaves entire, oblong-ovate, decurrent; flowers 

 in a dense spike, yellow; the three upper stamens shorter 

 and bearded. 



This species is a native of Europe and Asia, and is with 

 us only as an emigrant, having spread from Nova Scotia to 

 Florida, west to Minnesota and Kansas. It is found in old 

 fields, pastures, by the way-side, and in waste places, pre- 

 ferring dry soil. The plants begin to bloom in July and 

 continue until the close of September. The spikes elon- 

 gate as the flowers open in succession upwards. The spe- 

 cies is considered as a weed and is inclined to become 

 troublesome in pastures. Type locality: "Habitat in 

 Europge glareosis sterilibus." 



The species is common throughout the state. Speci- 

 mens in our collection are from Johnson, Van Buren, 

 Appanoose, Decatur, Ringgold, Taylor, and Pottawattamie 

 counties. We have observed the species in Winneshiek, 

 Allamakee, Clayton, Dubuque, Jackson, Scott, Des Moines, 

 Wapello, Clark, Page, Fremont, and Montgomery counties. 

 Prof. Bessey reported the species from Scott county; Prof. 

 Fink from Fayette county; Mr. Gow from A.dair county; 

 Messrs. Barnes, Reppert, and Miller from Muscatine county; 

 Prof. Shimek from Lyon county, and Mr. Mills by note 

 from Henry county. The State University herbarium has 

 specimens from the additional counties of Jones, Calhoun, 

 and Chickasaw. 



Parry, Owen's Report Geol. Surv. Wise, la., and Minn., p. 616; 

 Arthur, Contr. Fl., la., p. 22; Nagel and Haupt, Proc. Davenport Acad. 

 Nat. Sciences, Vol. 1, p. 160; Hitchcock, Trans. St. Louis Acad. Science, 

 Vol. 5, p. 510; Fink, Proc. Iowa Acad. Sciences, Vol. 4, p. 97; Pammel, 

 Proc. Iowa Acad. Sciences, Vol. 4, p. 117; Bessey, Fourth Bien. Rep. Agr. 



