mullein

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• common mullein
• flannel mullein
• great mullein
• Aaron's-rod
• blanketweed
• flannelleaf
• flannelplant
• grey mullein
• hag taper
• mullein
• torches
• velvet-dock
• velvetplant
• wild tobacco
• Aaron's rod
• Charmin of the woods
• Wooly Mullein
• camper's helper
• cowboy's toilet paper
• fisherman's friend
• toilet paper plant
• woolly mullein

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Lamiales, it is a member of the family Scrophulariaceae. It is specifically classified under the genus Verbascum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is widely distributed across various regions of Northern Europe. Specifically, it can be found growing in the landscapes of Denmark. Its presence is also well-documented throughout the territories of Finland and Norway. Furthermore, the species is commonly observed across the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. These locations highlight its ability to thrive within the Northern European climate.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Verbascum thapsus is characterized by its remarkable adaptability to diverse altitudinal gradients, spanning an elevational range from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum of 3500 m AMSL, with a mean elevation of approximately 2300 m AMSL. This species thrives in disturbed environments, specifically favoring habitats such as open roadsides and managed open areas, where it can colonize cleared ground. Furthermore, its biological interactions with soil fungi are distinctive, as it does not form mycorrhizal associations (mycorrhiza: no), relying instead on other nutrient acquisition strategies suitable for its preferred open and disturbed ecological niches.

Elevational range max:

3500 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

2300 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

open roadsides managed open, roadside

Mycorrhiza :

no

Life history

The life history of Verbascum thapsus is characterized by a biennial lifecycle, typically completing its biological processes over a period of two years. During its initial year, the plant functions as a therophyte, focusing its energy on developing a basal rosette of large, hairy leaves that hug the ground. As a hemicryptophyte, it protects its overwintering buds at or just below the soil surface, ensuring survival through unfavorable seasons. The plant is deciduous, shedding its foliage as it transitions through its developmental stages. In the second year, the plant undergoes a dramatic transformation, sending up a tall, flowering stalk to complete its reproductive cycle before eventually dying, thereby fulfilling its role within its ecological niche.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

biennial

Morphology

The morphology of Verbascum thapsus is characterized by a growth form classified as both a herb and a forb. It is a non-woody, self-supporting plant that does not function as a climber, liana, or vine, nor does it act as a parasite or an epiphyte, maintaining a terrestrial existence. The plant is independent in its growth habit and typically reaches a height ranging from a minimum of 0.3 m to a maximum of 2 m, with an average plant height of approximately 1.14 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

2 m

Plant height mean:

1.14433333333333 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Verbascum thapsus is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, utilizing standard carbon fixation processes typical of many temperate dicots. As a non-carnivorous organism, it relies on soil-based nutrient uptake and does not function as a nitrogen fixer, requiring external nitrogen sources for its metabolic processes. The plant's leaf morphology plays a critical role in its resource acquisition, featuring an elliptic leaf form with a mean leaf size of 216.28333 cm². The leaves exhibit significant dimensional variability, with a mean leaf length of 15 cm (ranging from a minimum of 8 cm to a maximum of 50 cm) and a mean leaf width of 6 cm (ranging from a minimum of 2.5 cm to a maximum of 15 cm). These morphological traits contribute to a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 169.18 cm²/g, reflecting the plant's strategy for balancing light interception and leaf mass per area.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

50 cm

Leaf length mean:

15 cm

Leaf length min:

8 cm

Leaf size mean:

216.28333 cm²

Leaf width max:

15 cm

Leaf width mean:

6 cm

Leaf width min:

2.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

169.18 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Verbascum thapsus is primarily sexual, characterized by bisexual flowers that facilitate efficient reproductive cycles. The flowering period is extensive, typically beginning in April and continuing through October. These flowers are distinctively yellow in color, with widths ranging from a minimum of 1.5 cm to a maximum of 2.3 cm. The plant utilizes a biotic pollination syndrome, specifically relying on insects such as butterflies to aid in the transfer of pollen, though self-fertilization is also present. As a monocarp, the plant's reproductive structure culminates in the production of dry, dehiscence-type capsules. These capsules, which have an average length of 0.9 cm, are highly prolific, yielding more than 1,000 seeds per fruit. The individual seeds are minute, with a consistent mean length of 0.8 mm and a mean mass of approximately 0.000101975 g (ranging from 0.00005 g to 0.00015 g) and a mean volume of 0.074 mm³. Dispersal is achieved through an anemochorous syndrome, meaning the seeds are primarily spread by the wind. Notably, asexual reproduction is absent in this species.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flower colour :

yellow

Flower width max:

2.3 cm

Flower width min:

1.5 cm

Flowering time :

Apr

Flowering time :

Oct

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit length mean:

0.9 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Monocarpy :

monocarp

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

butterfly

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed length mean:

0.8 mm

Seed mass max:

0.00015 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000101975 g

Seed mass min:

5e-05 g

Seed volume max:

0.074 mm³

Seeds_per_fruit :

>1000

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Verbascum thapsus has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include seed.

Seed

1. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine

Chemicals

Verbascum thapsus has 72 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Saponins, Flavonoids, Verbascoside, 2-HEXENE, ALUMINUM.

Saponins

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR
3. Medicinal chemistry (Shariqah (United Arab Emirates))

Flavonoids

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR
2. Medicinal chemistry (Shariqah (United Arab Emirates))

Verbascoside

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR

2-HEXENE

1. Medicinal chemistry (Shariqah (United Arab Emirates))

ALUMINUM

1. Dr. Duke

ARABINOGALACTAN

1. Dr. Duke

Ajugol

1. Dr. Duke

Arachidic acid

1. Dr. Duke

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

Aucubin

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Verbascum thapsus has 474 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antiinflammatory, Antioxidant, (+)-Inotropic, (-)-Chronotropic, (-)-Inotropic.

Antiinflammatory

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)

(+)-Inotropic

1. Dr. Duke

(-)-Chronotropic

1. Dr. Duke

(-)-Inotropic

1. Dr. Duke

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

AP-1-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Acaricide

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Verbascum thapsus has 12 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include asthma, migraine headaches, anti-allergic, colon, diarrhea.

Asthma

1. Natural product communications
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Migraine headaches

1. Natural product communications
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Anti-allergic

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters

Colon

1. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)

Diarrhea

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Earache

1. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine

Hepatoma

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Otalgia

1. Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine

Prostate

1. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)

Pulmonary diseases

1. Natural product communications

Preparations

Verbascum thapsus has 7 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Aqueous extracts, Methanolic extracts, alcoholic extracts, extracts, methanol extract.

Aqueous extracts

1. The West Indian medical journal

Methanolic extracts

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Alcoholic extracts

1. Revista latinoamericana de microbiologia

Extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Methanol extract

1. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)

Methanolic extract

1. Natural product communications

Seeds

1. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine