380 



Minnesota Plant Life. 



have nuich the feeHng of flannel. A careful examination of 

 a mullein leaf will show that its surface is covered with little. 

 much-branched hairs, standing close together like so much 

 miniature shrubbery. In the spring of the year the leaves 

 form dense rosettes at the surface of the ground, and later an 

 erect, tall flowering axis is developed, from two to six feet in 

 height. At the end of this a spike of yellow, almost regu- 

 lar flowers is borne. In each flower there are ti\'e stamens. 



Fig. 181. View in Minnesota lake di.strict. Sliow.s in center two mnllein plants in character 

 istic positions. After photograph by Williams. 



The leaves are alternate. In these characters the mulleins 

 difl'er from the rest of the tigworts. in none of which are there 

 fi\-e |)ollen-bearing stamens, and in most of Nxhich there are 

 two-li|)pe(l flowers and o])])ositc Icaxes. though the latter char- 

 acter is b)' no means uiiixersal. 



Toad-flaxes. The toad-flaxes are recognized at once b\ their 

 snaixlragon-shaped yellow or blue flowers. i)ro\ided witii a 

 s])ur like that of a larkspur flower. The common load-flax 

 of roadsides and tields blooms in the Mimmer and autumn. 



