204 



RCHOI'nULAlIIACE.E. 



some of thorn acrid, and ()th(?rs possess narcotic properties, ho that it ia 

 difficult to characterize them in general terms. 



VERBASCUM.— Mullein. 



Verbascum Thapsiis Linn6. — Common Mullein. 

 Ih'ncriplion. — (Jalyx o-partcd. Corolla slightly concave, whoel-shnped, 

 5-lobed, the 1(;1)(!H slij^htly irregular. Stamens 5, three of them with -woolly 



lilameuts, the others glabrous. 

 Style Hattened at the apex. Pod 

 globular, many-seeded. 



A stout, erect biennial, simple 

 or bran('h('(l above, 2 to 4 feet 

 liigh, densely clothed 'with soft 

 woolly hairs. Leaves oblong, 

 pointed, slightly toothed, nar- 

 rowed at the base into two wings 

 which run tlown the stem ; the 

 lower ones nt'ten petiolate, and 6 

 to 10 inches long. I'lowers yel- 

 low, in a dense, woolly, terminal 

 spike, appearing throughout the 

 sununer. 



JlabUat. — Nattiralize( fiom 

 Europe ; common everywnere. 



I'orL^ i'si'il. — The leaves and 

 flowers — not official. 



Conslitucnts. — Both leaves and. 

 flowers contain mucilage ; the 

 flowers yield also a small amount 

 of yellow volatile oil. 



Preparations. — Of the leaves : 



Fio. 1 12. — Vorbasciim Thapsiis. 



an infusion ; they are also employed in the preparation of poultices. Of 

 tiH' flowers : an infusion in oil is a popular preparation in some parts of 

 Continental Europe. 



Mcilical PrntH'rti('i< and Usci;. — The chief, if not the only medicinal con- 

 stituent of mullein is its mucilage. This being admitted, the indications 

 for the therapeutic use of the plant are plain. It may be employed in all 

 cases requiring demulcents, and, if not as agreeable as some other agents 

 of this class, it will proljably be of equal efficacy. The infused oil of the 

 flowers is probalily no more active than oil in which flowers have not been 

 infused ; it is used as an embrocation in sprains and bruises. 



