CLASS V. ORDER I.] VERBASCUM. 269 



corolla, tlie calyx closing round the gernien, so that after eight or ten 

 minutes none will remain on the plant. 



It is one of the most magnificent of our native plants; its large 

 panicle of golden-coloured flowers, with their fringed filaments and 

 scarlet anthers, crowding round the stems for a foot or more long, 

 forms a large pyramid of shining gems, not surpassed, if equalled, 

 by any of the genus. It is admirably calculated for ornamental bushy 

 rock work in pleasure grounds, and two or three plants growing 

 together, have a most splendid appearance; it is also very handsome 

 on borders, especially between and amongst low young shrubs, but is 

 not so well standing alone, without other lower plants about it. The 

 hairs on the 'stems and leaves, examined by the microscope, are seen 

 beautifully and delicately branched in a stellated manner, like slender 

 stars of highly polished silver. 



5. V. puheruleu'tnm, Vill. pou-dery-leaved Mullein. Lower 

 leaves ovate oblong, on short footstalks, the upper ones sessile, 

 with an acuminated point, slightly powdery above, beneath densely 

 woolly, subcrenated, stem round, branches of the panicle obtusely 

 angular. 



V. nigro-jmherulentiun. — 'S\. Br. Var. /3. — English Flora, vol. i. 

 p. 311. 



This species has the general aspect of V. floccnsum; its leaves, 

 however, are more distinctly crenated, the upper ones with a more 

 acuminated point, the lower ones on longer footstalks, and the upper 

 side of the leaf is less clothed with woolliness, but the under side is 

 densely covered ; the stem is round below, but above and the branches 

 of the panicle are obtusely angular, patent, and the hairs of the stamens 

 are somewhat purple, or white, in other respects it is the same as 

 V.Jloccosum. 



Habitat. — Road sides and stony places; " near Norwich, and various 

 parts of Norfolk ;" about Yarmouth ; not unfrequent. 



Biennial ; flowering in July and August. 



How far this may be found a distinct species, we are at present 

 unable to determine ; it is readily distinguished from the former, and 

 would appear, from its characters, to be an hybrid between V. 

 Jloccosum and V. Li/chnitis, or an intermediate species. We have 

 found it in Germany and Italy, a circumstance which favours its 

 being a distinct species, independent of hybrids in plants being of very 

 rare occurrence. 



6. V. ni'ijmm, Linn. (Fig. .351.) dark Mullein. Leaves on foot- 

 stalks, oblong, heart-shaped, crenated, nearly smooth above, slightly 

 downy beneath. 



English Botany, t. .59. — English Flora, vol. i. p. 312. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 112. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 181. 



