76 The Flora of Wiltshire. 



account of the bearded or shaggy and downy surface of the leaves 

 in most of the species. 



1. V. Thapsus, (Linn.) Great Mullein, High-taper. The 

 specific name of Thapsus has been derived from Thapsus in Africa, 

 near which place it is said to have formerly abounded. Engl. Bot. 

 t. 549. V. Schraderi Koch. 



Locality. Roadsides, hedge-banks, waste places, in calcareous 

 sandy and gravelly soils ; also in newly cut copses. B. Fl. July, 

 August. Area, 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 



Recorded in all the Districts. Stem 4 to 5 feet high, angular, 

 winged. Leaves thick, excessively woolly, ovate or oblong. Flowers 

 handsome, golden yellow ; three of the stamens hairy ; the two 

 longer ones glabrous. The tomentum or down on all the species 

 will, on examination under a microscope, be found to be composed 

 of innumerable stellate hairs. 



2. y. nigrum, (Linn.) Dark Mullein. Engl. Bot. t. 59. 

 Locality. Waste ground and banks, on dry gravel or chalk. 



P. Fl. July, August. Area, 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 

 South Division. 



1. South-east District, " Roadsides between Salisbury and Mil- 

 ford," Dr. Maton. Nat. Hist. Wilts. "Landford," Rev. 

 E. Simms. 



2. South Middle District, Sparingly on Salisbury Plain. 



3. South-west District, " Lanes about Odstock and Nunton ; " 

 " Between Charlton and Downton, also Berwick St. John," Major 

 Smith. 



North Division. 



. 4. North-tcest District, " Corn-fields on the road to Colerue," 



Flor. Bath. " Ford," Mr. C. E. Broome. " North Wraxhall by 



the roadside going from Chippenham to Marshfield, and in the 



village abundant," Dr. Prior. Wats. Bot. Guide. 



5. North-east District, " West Woods," Flor. Marlb. 



In all the Districts hut local. Leaves nearly glabrous, dark green. 

 Flowers in clusters, on the almost-simple long spike. Corolla rather 

 large yellow. Stamens with bright purple hairs. 



V. Blattaria, (Linn.) Engl. Bot. t. 393, is stated to have been 



