632 SCIENTIFIC AND APPLIED PHARMACOGNOSY 



VERBASCI FLORES. Mullein Flowers. The flowers of Verbas- 

 cum phlomoides and V. thapsiforme (Fam. Scrophulariaceae), biennial 

 herbs indigenous to central and southern Europe and western Asia, 

 the former being naturalized to some extent from New England to 

 Kentucky, and resembling V. Thapsus, but the leaves are nearly 

 sessile and only slightly decurrent. The corollas, with the adhering 

 stamens, are gathered during dry weather in July or August and 

 carefully dried. 



Description. Corallas zygomorphic, either rotate and about 

 2 cm. in breadth (V. thapsiforme), or somewhat funnel-shaped and 

 about 1.5 cm. in breadth (V. phlomoides); golden yellow when fresh, 

 becoming yellowish-brown on drying; dorsal surface pubescent, the 

 lobes being ovate, the 2 upper being smaller than the 3 lower; stamens 

 inserted on the corolla, unequal, the 2 upper being longer and glabrous, 

 while the 3 lower are smaller, the filaments being very pubescent; 

 odor distinct, sweet; taste mucilaginous and sweet. 



Inner Structure. Lower surface having numerous stellate or 

 branching multicellular hairs, and glandular hairs of several types: 

 (a), having a 1- or more-celled stalk and a 1- or 2-celled glandular 

 head; and (6), glandular hairs resembling the Labiatse; epidermal 

 cells polygonal, the walls more or less undulate, in the lumina are 

 numerous small yellowish chromoplastids; mucilage cells are dis- 

 tributed among the loose mesophyll; the hairs of the filaments of 

 the short stamens are long, somewhat club-shaped, having a rounded 

 summit, thin walls and frequently contain sphere aggregates of hes- 

 periden. (Consult Kraemer's Applied and Economic Botany, p. 153.) 

 Pollen grains, spheroidal, about 0.030 mm. in diameter, frequently 

 having a light red oily content, the outer walls being smooth and 

 marked by 3 pores. 



Constituents. Invert sugar, 10.4 per cent; mucilage; volatile 

 oil; a glucosidal coloring principle; cane sugar; and 5 to 6 per cent of 

 ash. 



Literature. Vogl, Pharmakognosie, p. 128. 



KUEIACEM, OR MADDER FAMILY 



A large family of about 5500 species, most abundant in tropical 

 regions but having representatives in nearly all parts of the world. 

 They vary from herbs to trees ; the leaves are usually opposite, stip- 

 ulate and possess entire margins; the flowers are perfect, the corollas 

 being gamopetalous and of a variety of forms; and the fruit is a cap- 

 sule, berry, or drupe. Among the anatomical features the following 



