PENTANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. Verbascum. 311 
Kniph. 12— Curt. 245—( E. j Sot. 882. E.)— FI. Dan. 319— Col. Fcphr. 227 
—II. Ox. v. 5. 48 —Pet. 5. 2 —Dod. 122. 2—Lob. Obs. 291. S. Ic. i. 536. 2 
— Ger. Em. 723. 12. 
{Root tapering, rather woody. E.) Stem a foot high or more, clothed 
with leaves for about one-third of its height; above naked. Branckes 
several, from amongst the upper leaves, alternate, much shorter and 
slenderer than the stem. Leaves strap, or strap-spear-shaped, sessile, 
waved at the edge, hairy, pointing upwards, sometimes, though rarely, 
with here and there a small tooth. Woodw. Fruit-stalks naked. Blos¬ 
soms blue, or white, (small, in spherical terminal heads. E.) 
Var. 2. Dwarf. Whole plant very hairy; when full grown only an inch 
high. 
Sea coast, Cornwall. 
Hairy Sheep's Scabious. Sheep’s-bit. (Welsh: Clefryn. E.) Sandy 
and barren meadows and heaths. A. June—July.* * * § 
VERBAS'CUM.'t* Bloss. wheel-shaped, nearly regular : Caps. 
two-celled; two-valved; many-seeded: {Stamens de¬ 
clining. E.) 
V. thap'sus. Leaves decurrent, cottony on both sides: stem un¬ 
branched : summit globular. 
FI. Dan. 631— (E. Bot. 549. E.)— Woodv. 125— Blackw. 3— Kniph. 9. 
{Stem winged, four to six feet high, leafy, tomentose. Flowers in a long, 
terminal, dense spike. Blossom golden yellow; rarely white. Leaves 
alternate, egg-oblong. Stamens three, hairy, two longer and glabrous ; 
incorrectly represented in E.Bot. as Prof. Hooker observes. E.) 
Great Mullein. J Irish: Cuineail Muire. Welsh: Tewbannog; Sircyn 
y melinydd. E.) Dry ditch banks, in chalky and gravelly soil. B. July.§ 
Var. 2. Thapso-nigrum. Leaves egg-oblong; lower ones on leaf-stalks, 
middle ones sessile, upper ones decurrent; stem branched ; flowers seve¬ 
ral in each cluster, of which many compose the long spike. Filaments 
partially clothed with purple hairs. Anthers orange. 
* ("lhe economy of the flowers in this genus is very singular. The florets of the disk 
have fertile anthers, which are united with each other only at the base, and club-shaped 
barren hirsute pistils. On the contrary the florets of the circumference, which are furnished 
with true emarginate stigmas, proper for fertilizing the seeds, have barren stamens ; hence 
the proper stigmas receive the pollen from the club-shaped ones, upon which it is first 
received, as they pass through the anthers. See Persoon. This is a favourite flower with 
bees. E.) 
t (From Barbascum, on account of the bearded or shaggy surface of the leaves in most 
species, Dr. Hooker conjectures. E.) 
.+ (The English generic name Micllein has its origin from the French Mollene , from the 
softness of the leaves. Hook. E.) 
§ Externally emollient, (the flowers yielding an unctuous matter. E.) Dr. Home 
advises a decoction of it, two ounces to a quart, in diarrhoeas of old standing; he gave a 
quart.every day. Clin. Exp. p. 439. It eases the pains of the intestines ; it is used as an 
injection in tenesmus with advantage ; and is often applied externally to hemorrhoids. Ib. 
It is said to intoxicate fish so that they may be taken with the hand. In Norway it is 
given to consumptive cattle, (as also in some parts of England, and hence called Bullocks 
Lungwort. E.) The down serves for tinder, (and the thick soft leaves are used by the 
Russian peasantry for socks, in their rigorous winters. E.) Neither cows, goats, sheep, 
horses, or swine will eat it. OSoetua Verbascb frequents this species# £.) 
