Verbascum thapsus

Great Mullein

Scientific name: Verbascum thapsus L.

Diagnostic features
Differs from Verbascum phlomoides and Verbascum bombyciferum in decurrent stem-leaves.
From Verbascum densiflorumin capitate stigma.
FromVerbascum bombyciferum in 2 lower filaments glabrous to sparsely pubescent.

Chromosome number: 2n=36.

Habitat
Native; waste and rough ground, banks and grassy places, mostly on sandy or chalky soils.

Distribution
Common in Central & South Britain and Channel Islands, locally frequent elsewhere, by far the commonest species.

This species is keyed out on Page 3245 in the Text Key.

Hybrids
- Verbascum x lemaitrei Boreau (= Verbascum virgatum x Verbascum thapsus) has occurred as a casual in Warks in 1892 and in Midlothian in 1996.
- Verbascum pyramidatum x Verbascum thapsus has occurred in Cambs; endemic.
- Verbascum x kerneri Fritsch (= Verbascum phlomoides x Verbascum thapsus) has occurred in Cambs, Middlesex and West Kent.
- Verbascum x semialbum Chaub. (= Verbascum thapsus x Verbascum nigrum) is rather frequent with its parents in much of Britain; by far the commonest hybrid in the genus. Usually the upper 3 filaments have violet and the lower 2 white hairs, but all the anthers are reniform.
- Verbascum x duernsteinense Teyber (= Verbascum thapsus x Verbascum speciosum) has occurred in West Norfolk.
- Verbascum x godronii Boreau (= Verbascum thapsus x Verbascum pulverulentum) has occurred in a few places in South England.
- Verbascum x thapsi L. (= Verbascum thapsus x Verbascum lychnitis) (Synoniem: Verbascum x spurium W.D.J. Koch) is occasional with the parents in Central & South Britain.

Kingdom Plantae
Phylum Angiospermophyta
Class Magnoliopsida
Subclass Magnoliidae
Superorder Asteriflorae
Order Scrophulariales
Family Scrophulariaceae
Tribe Scrophularieae
Genus Verbascum
Species Verbascum thapsus

Verbascum thapsus L.

Great Mullein (English)
Mullein, Great [English]


Hybrids
Verbascum lemaitrei(x) Boreau [Hybrid]
(= Verbascum virgatum x Verbascum thapsus)

Verbascum pyramidatum x Verbascum thapsus [Hybrid]

Verbascum kerneri(x) Fritsch [Hybrid]
(= Verbascum phlomoides x Verbascum thapsus)

Verbascum semialbum(x) Chaub. [Hybrid]
(= Verbascum thapsus x Verbascum nigrum)

Verbascum duernsteinense(x) Teyber [Hybrid]
(= Verbascum thapsus x Verbascum speciosum)

Verbascum godronii(x) Boreau [Hybrid]
(= Verbascum thapsus x Verbascum pulverulentum)

Verbascum thapsi(x) L. [Hybrid]
(= Verbascum thapsus x Verbascum lychnitis)
Verbascum spurium(x) W.D.J. Koch (syn.) [Hybrid]

Verbascum thapsus 2 (Flowering habit, picture taken in Leics by C.A. Stace)
Verbascum thapsus 3 (Flowering habit, picture taken in the Netherlands by R. van der Meijden)
Verbascum thapsus 4 (Flowering, picture taken in the Netherlands by J. Mourik)
Verbascum thapsus a (Stamens, drawing by H. Thompson in Stace, 1997)
Verbascum thapsus b (Calyx and style, drawing by H. Thompson in Stace, 1997)