Ifiowort JJamil^. 



Mullein. Verbascum TJmpsus. 



High Taper. 



Candlewick. 



Found on dry, sandy soil, in fields, and among rocks, from June to 

 September. 



The single, leafy stalk rises from a foot-tuffet, to the height of 3 

 or 4 feet, usually, although it varies considerably ; it is round, stout, 

 and tough-fibred, covered with wool, which tempers the green and 

 makes it whitey in tone. 



The large (from 6 to 12 inches long) foot-leaves have very promi- 

 nent ribs which show chiefl.y underneath, entire margins, and are thick, 

 like a blanket with a very woolly surface ; the stalk leaves are smaller, 

 and more pointed, and are attached to the stalk for a part of their 

 length, — they are otherwise like the large leaves. In color a whitish 

 green. 



The corolla is rather large, somewhat unequally 5-parted with 

 rounded lobes, it is of a fine texture and smooth ; in color, a clear pale 

 yellow. The tips of the 5 stamens are orange ; the pistil is green, and 

 so is the 5-parted, woolly calyx. The flowers are set closely and numer- 

 ously in a long, compact, club-shaped, terminal spike. 



When the flower-stalk shoots up the foot-tuffet withers, and loses 

 the richer color which, in spring, belongs to its leafage. The rosette 

 forms in the fall,— if potted and wintered in the house, free from the 

 choking dust of the highway, it develops a superfine quality of wool. 



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