''Verbascum'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of over 450 species of flowering plants,

common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...

mullein (), in the figwort family

Scrophulariaceae The Scrophulariaceae are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the figwort family. The plants are annual and perennial herbs, as well as shrubs. Flowers have bilateral (zygomorphic) or rarely radial (actinomorphic) symmetry. The Scr ...

. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein leaf" often refers to the leaves of ''

Verbascum thapsus ''Verbascum thapsus'', the great mullein, greater mullein or common mullein is a species of mullein native to Europe, northern Africa, and Asia, and introduced in the Americas and Australia. It is a hairy biennial plant that can grow to 2 m tal ...

'', the great or common mullein, which is frequently used in herbal medicine.

Description

They are

biennial Biennial means (an event) lasting for two years or occurring every two years. The related term biennium is used in reference to a period of two years. In particular, it can refer to: * Biennial plant, a plant which blooms in its second year and th ...

perennial plant A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

s, rarely annuals or

subshrub A subshrub (Latin ''suffrutex'') or dwarf shrub is a short shrub, and is a woody plant. Prostrate shrub is a related term. "Subshrub" is often used interchangeably with "bush".Jackson, Benjamin, Daydon; A Glossary of Botanic Terms with their Der ...

s, growing to tall. The plants first form a dense rosette of leaves at ground level, subsequently sending up a tall flowering stem. Biennial plants form the rosette the first year and the stem the following season. The leaves are spirally arranged, often densely hairy, though glabrous (hairless) in some species. The flowers have five symmetrical petals; petal colours in different species include yellow (most common), orange, red-brown, purple, blue, or white. The fruit is a capsule containing numerous minute seeds.

Cultivation

In gardening and landscaping, the mulleins are valued for their tall narrow stature and for flowering over a long period of time, even in dry soils. These

cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...

s have received the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

: *'Gainsborough' (Cotswold Group) *'Letitia' *'Pink Domino' (Cotswold Group) *'Tropic Sun'

Other uses

Plants of the genus have a long history of use as herbal remedies. Although this plant is a recent arrival to North America, Native Americans used the ground seeds of ''V. thaspus'' as a paralytic fish poison due to their high levels of

rotenone Rotenone is an odorless, colorless, crystalline isoflavone used as a broad-spectrum insecticide, piscicide, and pesticide. It occurs naturally in the seeds and stems of several plants, such as the jicama vine plant, and the roots of several member ...

. ''Verbascum'' flowers have been used in traditional Austrian medicine internally (as tea) or externally (as ointment, tea, baths, or compresses) for treatment of disorders of the respiratory tract, skin, veins, gastrointestinal tract, and the locomotor system.

Select species

*''

Verbascum acaule ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' (Bory & Chaub.) Kuntze *''

Verbascum adeliae ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Heldr. *''

Verbascum adenanthum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Bornm. *''

Verbascum adrianopolitanum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Podp. *''

Verbascum agrimoniifolium ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Huber-Morath *''

Verbascum anisophyllum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Murb. *''

Verbascum arcturus ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' L. *''

Verbascum argenteum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Ten. *''

Verbascum austriacum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Schott *''

Verbascum baldaccii ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Degen *''

Verbascum banaticum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Schrad. *''

Verbascum barnadesii ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Vahl *''

Verbascum bithynicum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Boiss. *'' Verbascum blattaria'' L. *''

Verbascum boerhavei ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' L. *'' Verbascum boissieri'' (Heldr. & Sart. ''ex'' Boiss.) Kuntze *'' Verbascum botuliforme'' Murb. *'' Verbascum brevipedicellatum'' (Engl.) Hub.-Mor. *'' Verbascum bugulifolium'' Lam. *'' Verbascum calycosum'' Hausskn. ''ex'' Murb. * ''Verbascum'' × ''candelabrum'' Kar. & Kir. *'' Verbascum chaixii'' Vill. *''

Verbascum chinense ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' (L.) Santapau *'' Verbascum creticum'' (L.f.) Cav. *'' Verbascum cylindrocarpum'' Griseb. *''

Verbascum cylleneum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' (Boiss. & Heldr.) Kuntze *''

Verbascum daenzeri ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' (Fauché & Chaub.) Fenzl *''

Verbascum davidoffii ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Murb. *'' Verbascum decorum'' Velen. *''

Verbascum delphicum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Boiss. & Heldr. *'' Verbascum densiflorum'' Bertol. *'' Verbascum dentifolium'' Delile *'' Verbascum dieckianum'' Borbás & Degen *'' Verbascum dingleri'' Mattf. & Stef. *'' Verbascum drymophiloides'' Gritzenko *''

Verbascum durmitoreum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Rohlena * ''Verbascum'' × ''edirnense'' Dane & G.Yılmaz *'' Verbascum epixanthinum'' Boiss. & Heldr. *'' Verbascum eriophorum'' Godr. *'' Verbascum eskisehirensis'' Karavel., Ocak & Ekici *'' Verbascum euboicum'' Murb. & Rech.f. *'' Verbascum flavidum'' (Boiss.) Freyn & Bornm. * ''Verbascum'' × ''gabrielianae'' Hub.-Mor. *'' Verbascum georgicum'' Benth. *'' Verbascum glabratum'' Friv. *'' Verbascum glandulosum'' Delile *''

Verbascum gnaphalodes ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' M.Bieb. *''

Verbascum graecum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Heldr. & Sart. *'' Verbascum guicciardii'' Heldr. *'' Verbascum halacsyanum'' Sint. & Bornm. ''ex'' Halácsy *'' Verbascum haraldi-adnani'' Parolly & Eren *''

Verbascum hervieri ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Degen *'' Verbascum herzogii'' Bornm. *'' Verbascum humile'' Janka *'' Verbascum jankaeanum'' Pančić *'' Verbascum laciniatum'' (Poir.) Kuntze *''

Verbascum lagurus ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Fisch. & C.A.Mey. *'' Verbascum lanatum'' Schrad. *''

Verbascum lasianthum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Boiss. ''ex'' Benth. *''

Verbascum laxum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Filar. & Jav. *''

Verbascum leucophyllum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Griseb. *'' Verbascum lesnovoensis'' Micevski *'' Verbascum levanticum'' I.K.Ferguson *'' Verbascum litigiosum'' Samp. *'' Verbascum longifolium'' Ten. *''

Verbascum lychnitis ''Verbascum lychnitis'', the white mullein, is a flowering plant in the figwort family (Scrophulariaceae) native to Asia and Europe. It has naturalized in parts of North America. The species was first formally named by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. Desp ...

'' L. *'' Verbascum macedonicum'' Kosonin & Murb. *'' Verbascum macrocarpum'' Boiss. *''

Verbascum macrurum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Ten. *''

Verbascum mallophorum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Boiss. & Heldr. *'' Verbascum megricum'' Huber-Morath *'' Verbascum mucronatum'' Lam. *'' Verbascum nevadense'' Boiss. *'' Verbascum nicolai'' Rohlena *''

Verbascum nigrum ''Verbascum nigrum'', the black mullein or dark mullein, is a species of biennial or short-lived perennial herbaceous plant in the mullein genus ''Verbascum'', native to dry open sites in temperate Europe. It grows to . ''Verbascum nigrum'' form ...

'' L. *''

Verbascum niveum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Ten. *'' Verbascum nobile'' Velen. *'' Verbascum nudicaule'' Takht. *''

Verbascum olympicum ''Verbascum olympicum'', the Greek mullein, Olympian mullein or Olympic mullein, is a species of flowering plant in the family Scrophulariaceae, native to northwest Turkey. A short-lived perennial reaching , the Royal Horticultural Society The ...

'' Boiss. *'' Verbascum oreophilum'' C. Koch *'' Verbascum orientale'' (L.) All. *''

Verbascum orphanideum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Murb. *''

Verbascum ovalifolium ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Donn ''ex'' Sims *''

Verbascum ozturkii ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Karavel., Uzunh. & S.Çelik * ''Verbascum'' × ''patris'' Bordz. *''

Verbascum pelium ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Halácsy *'' Verbascum pentelicum'' Murb. *'' Verbascum phlomoides'' L. *'' Verbascum phoeniceum'' L. *'' Verbascum pinnatifidum'' Vahl *''

Verbascum pseudonobile ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Stoj. & Stef. *''

Verbascum pterocaulon ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Nyman *'' Verbascum pulverulentum'' Vill. *'' Verbascum purpureum'' (Janka) Hub.-Mor. *''

Verbascum pyramidatum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' M.Bieb. *''

Verbascum reiseri ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein l ...

'' Halácsy *'' Verbascum roripifolium'' (Halácsy) I.K.Ferguson *'' Verbascum rotundifolium'' Ten. * ''Verbascum'' × ''rubiginosum'' Waldst. & Kit. *''

Verbascum rupestre ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' (Davidov) I.K.Ferguson *'' Verbascum salgirensis'' Soldano *'' Verbascum samniticum'' Ten. *'' Verbascum schachdagense'' Gritzenko *'' Verbascum siculum'' Tod. ''ex'' Lojac. *'' Verbascum sinaiticum'' Benth. *''

Verbascum sinuatum ''Verbascum sinuatum'', commonly known as the scallop-leaved mullein,Wild Flowers of Israel
Verbascum ...

'' L. *'' Verbascum songaricum'' Schrenk *'' Verbascum speciosum'' Schrad. *'' Verbascum spinosum'' L. *''

Verbascum suworowianum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Kuntze *'' Verbascum szovitsianum'' Boiss. *''

'' L. *''

Verbascum undulatum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' Lam. *'' Verbascum vandasii'' (Rohlena) Rohlena *'' Verbascum varians'' Freyn & Sint. *'' Verbascum virgatum'' Stokes *'' Verbascum xanthophoeniceum'' Griseb. *'' Verbascum zuccarinii'' (Boiss.) I.K.Ferguson

References

External links

*
Verbascum.org
{{Authority control

Verbascum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

Medicinal plants Scrophulariaceae genera

Description

Cultivation

Other uses

Select species

See also

References

Further reading

External links