SCROPHULARIACEiE. 115 



Stem 18 inches to 3 feet liig'li, with elevated lines decurrent from 

 the midrib of the petiole, and fainter ones from its margins. Lower 

 leaves 4 inches to 1 foot long, abruptly contracted and usually sub- 

 cordate at the base, with petioles often as long as the lamina ; stem- 

 leaves decreasing rapidly in size upwards ; the upper ones small and 

 sessile, passing gradually into the small acuminated bracts at the 

 base of the fascicles of floAvers. Spike usually very long, slightly 

 interrupted at the base, dense towards the apex. Calyx-segments 

 strapshaped. Plowers J^ to } inch across, varying from bright- 

 yellow to cream-yellow, the filaments erect, clothed with bright- 

 purple hairs. Capsule nearly J inch long, ovoid, scarcely tapering 

 towards the apex. Plant varying much in the degree of pubescence, 

 which is rarely sufficient to produce a greyish colour. 



A remarkable variety, jS tomentosum (Bab.), has been found by 

 Professor Babington at St. Ann's, Alderney, and by the Rev. W. W. 

 Newbould at Chichester ; in these the leaves are quite felted beneath, 

 as much so as in V. Thapsus, the flowers are also rather smaller than 

 in the ordinary form. 



Dark Mullein. 



French, Molene Noire. German, Schwa/rzes Wollkraut 



SPECIES V— VERB ASCUM VIRGATUM. With. 



Plate DCCCCXLI. 



Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XX. Tab. MDCLV. 

 V. blattarioides, Lam. Reich, fil. 1. c. p. 14. 



Stem erect, simple, or more rarely branched. Radical leaves 

 oblanceolate, insensibly attenuated into winged petioles, sub- 

 obtuse ; lower stem-leaves attenuated at the base, and sub- 

 petiolate ; intermediate ones oblong, acute, sessile and semi-amplex- 

 icaul ; uppermost ones ovate or lanceolate, cordate, semi-amplex- 

 icaul and very shortly decurrent acuminate ; all crenate or 

 dentate or doubly dentate ; the lowest ones sometimes slightly 

 pinnatifid towards the base. Plowers shortly stalked, in fascicles or 

 solitary, arranged in a rather dense somewhat interrupted raceme 

 at the extremity of the stem and also of the branches when the 

 latter are present. Pedicels ascending-erect, not exceeding the calyx 

 at the time of flowering, nor the capsule in fruit. Limb of the 

 corolla flat, six or seven times as long as the tube. Stamens with 

 all the filaments clothed with purple woolly hairs ; the 3 upper 

 ones with reniform transverse anthers ; the 2 lower ones with 

 fewer hairs and with oblong-reniform anthers attached obliquely. 

 Stigma capitate. Capsule large, sub-globular, half as long again 



