1861.] VERBASCUM THAPSIFORME. , 363 



The following is the account of this species, if it be a species, 

 given by the judicious author of the ' Flora Anglica :' — 



" Verbascum tliapsoides, foliis decuiTentibiis, caule ramosa. — Sp. PI. 1 6 7 0. 



Verbascum angustifolium ramosura, flore aureo, folio crassiore. — B. Hist. 

 Ill, 856. 



Verbascum album mas, flore luteo. — Dalech. Hist. 1301. 



Verbascum angustius. — Docl. Pempt. 148. 



Verbascum foliis viridibus crassioribus. — Hist. Ox. ii. 436. 



Anglis, bastard Mullein. 



Habitat in pratis et pascuis cretaceis et arenosis, in comitatu Cantiano, 

 passim; J* . vii., viii. (Flowers in July and August.)" 



Dr. Withering in his third edition of the ' Botanical Arrange- 

 ment of the British Plants/ quotes Hudson as his authority for 

 the locality of the plant (voh ii. p. 249). And further states that 

 it is a " hybrid plant produced in the gardens of UpSal, in the 

 year 1761, from the seeds of V. Lychnitis, impregnated by the 

 pollen of V. Thapsiis, both of which grew in the same bed." The 

 learned author quotes Gerarde, p. 773, fig. 2, who says that " the 

 floures are white, the special mark to know it from the male 

 kinde, being like in every other respect." It may be a question 

 whether this be the present plant under consideration, which has 

 yellow and 7iot white flowers. The plant described in Gerarde, 

 on p. 775, fig. 4, agrees better with V. thapsiforme of modern 

 authors. Gerarde calls his plant Verbascum Lychnite minus (Small 

 Candlewick Mullein), and tells us that " it differs little from the 

 last rehearsed {V. Lychnitis), saving that the whole plant is of a 

 better savour, . . . the floure also is much larger, and of a straw 

 or pale-yellow colour.^' 



Withering, who informs his readers that this plant originated 

 in Sweden in 1761, quotes Fuchsius, Dodoens, Gerarde, and J. 

 Bauliin, as the authorities for his V. thapsoides, although these 

 authors lived centuries before this species existed, if we are to 

 credit the account of its first appearance. Aliquando bonus 

 donnifat Homerus : the most vigilant are now and then caught 

 napping. 



Sir J. E. Smith, under Verbascum Lychnitis, quotes Hudson, 

 Withering, and the ancient authorities, together with Schrader,' 

 Willdenow, Hoffmann, etc., and observes that the " mule variety 

 /3 he has never seen wild, nor is there any authentic specimen in 

 the Linnsean Herbarium." 



