30 



SCROPHULARIACEiE. 



Verbascum. 



1. Verbascum Thapsus, Linn. Common Mullein. 



Densely woolly ; stem simple ; leaves ovate-oblong, decurrent ; flowers in a long dense 

 terminal spike ; two of the stamens smooth. — Linn. sp. 1. p. Ill ; Engl. bot. t. 549 ; Pursh, 

 fl. 1. p. 142 ; Ell. sk. 1. p. 274 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 81 ; Torr. fl.l.p 222 ; Beck, bot. 

 p. 259 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 134. 



Biennial. Whole plant of a pale green color, and clothed with soft wool. Stem 3-6 feet 

 high, winged with the decurrent leaves, very straight. Leaves 6-12 inches long and 2-4 

 inches wide, rather acute, entire or somewhat crenate. Spike 1-2 feet long. Segments of 

 the calyx lanceolate, acute. Corolla bright yellow ; the segments erect-spreading. Stamens 

 unequal ; three of them shorter, with wooliy filaments ; the others smooth. 



Fields, road-sides, etc. ; very common. Introduced from Europe. The flowers, when 

 dried in the sun, are said to yield a fatty matter which is useful in piles. Fl. June - October. 



2. Verbascum Blattaria, Linn. Moth Mullein. 



Nearly smooth ; leaves clasping, oblong, crenate-serrate ; flowers pedicellate, in an elongated 

 raceme. — Linn. sp. 1. p. 178 ; Engl. bot. t. 393 ; Michx.Jl. 1. p. 148 ; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 142 ; 

 Ell. sk. I. p. 274 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 82 ; Torr. fl. 1. p. 223 ; Beck, bot. p. 259 ; Darlingt. 

 fl. Cest. p. 134. V. Claytoni, Michx. I. c. ? 



Biennial. Stem about 2 feet high, angular, smooth. Leaves acute, coarsely and irregularly 

 serrate or toothed ; the radical ones somewhat lyrate. Raceme simple or compound ; the 

 rachis and pedicels glandularly pubescent. Pedicels about an inch long. Segments of the 

 calyx linear-lanceolate. Corolla yellow, or white with a tinge of purple. Stamens unequal 

 all the filaments feathered with purple hairs. 



Old fields and road-sides ; common. Introduced from Europe. June - July. The yellow 

 and white-flowered varieties often grow together, but they never pass into each other. 



3. Verbascum Lychnitis, Linn. White Mullein. 



Leaves oblong-wedgeshaped, nearly smooth above ; stem angular, panicled ; spikes rather 

 loose. — Linn. sp. 1. p. Ill ; Engl. bot. t. 58 ; Pursh, fl. 1 . p. 142 ; Ell. sk. 1 . p. 274 ; 

 Torr. fl. I. p. 223 ; Beck, bot. p. 259. 



Biennial. Stem 2-5 feet high. Leaves 3-6 inches long and 1 - 2j inches wide, white 

 and woolly underneath. Flowers cream-colored. Filaments hairy. 



Old sandy fields near Oneida lake. Introduced from Europe. June — July. Intermixed 

 with this plant there are two hybrid varieties, one of which has the stalks simple or slightly 

 branched at the top, with yellow flowers, and leaves resembling those of V. Thapsus ; the 

 other has the tops much branched, whitish flowers, and leaves more like those of V. Lychnitis. 

 These were first noticed by Dr. Knieskern. 



