212 CLASS PENTANDRIA. 



The common name, mandrake, has been given to two plants 

 essentially different ; but by a uniformity in the scientific 

 names, there is no danger of one being taken for the other by 

 those who know any thing of botany. 



Along with the Potatoe, the Stramonium, and the Atropa, 

 we find the Mullein ( Verbascum), which you must have seen 

 too often to need any description of its general appearance ;* 

 but though its natural characters may have so far attracted 

 your attention that you know a mullein from every other plant, 

 you may not have examined its different parts with a view to 

 scientific arrangement : it has, like all the Luridae, a five-parted 

 calyx, wheel-shaped corolla, with five unequal divisions. The 

 stamens are declined, or turned downwards, bearded, or hairy. 

 The capsule is two-celled and many -seeded. The leaves are 

 oblong, acuminate and decurrent or with their bases extending 

 downwards around the stem ; they are downy on both sides. 

 The flowers are arranged along their stem, in such a manner 

 as to constitute what is called a spike. The botanical name of 

 the common mullein is VERBASCUM thapsus ; a species smaller 

 and more delicate than the common mullein, is often found in 

 woods ; this is the VERBASCUM hlattaria. This genus is less 

 active in its medicinal properties than most others of the lurid 

 family ; it is said to possess anodyne properties, and to be 

 intoxicating to fish.f We cannot at present enumerate all the 

 plants of this extensive natural family (the Luridae) ; as you 

 proceed in your analysis of plants, you will do well to refer 

 them to their natural orders, and thus you will in time become 

 familiar with the natural, as well as artificial classes. 



Having remarked upon the genera found in the natural fami- 

 lies AsperifoHcB and Lurida, we proceed to consider some other 

 genera of the class Pentandria. 



In the family Lysimachi, are several genera with wheel-form 

 corollas ; the most important genus in this family is the Lysi- 

 machia or Loose-strife (See Fig. 108, a), this is an herbaceous 

 plant, very common in June and July ; several species of it may 

 be found along the banks of little brooks, and low meadow 

 grounds. The racemosa, or cluster-flowered loose-strife is 

 from one to two feet in height ; it bears a profusion of fine 

 yellow blossoms, in a lax or limber raceme. It sometimes bears 

 bulbs in the axils of the leaves, and small branches. Theso 

 bulbs, like the roots of the crocus and onion, contain the rudi- 



* By general appearance, we mean, what the French botanists call thsport of 

 the plant, 

 t Smith. 



Mention the botanical characters of the mullein Different species Ly- 

 simachi. 



