About Verbascum lychnitis L.
Common Name and Taxonomic Placement
Verbascum lychnitis, commonly known as white mullein, is a flowering plant belonging to the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae.
Native and Introduced Range
It is native to Asia and Europe, and has naturalized in parts of North America.
Formal Naming History
The species was first formally named by Carl Linnaeus in 1753.
Flower Color Variation
Despite its common name, its flowers can be either white or yellow.
Life Cycle and Growth Habitat
It is a biennial or short-lived perennial that commonly grows in disturbed areas.
Distinguishing Genus Traits
This species can be distinguished from other species in the genus Verbascum by several key traits: its stem leaves are sessile and non-clasping, with upper and lower surfaces of different colors; its small flowers are spaced apart rather than tightly bunched, unlike in other mulleins; and its flower stalks are somewhat long.
Leaf Hair Characteristics
Like other mulleins, the leaves of Verbascum lychnitis are covered in dendritic hairs.
Hair Size and Appearance
In V. lychnitis, these hairs are very short (less than 0.2 mm), which makes them appear stellate.
Hair Distribution on Leaves
The lower leaf surface is much hairier than the upper surface.
Interspecific Hybridization
V. lychnitis hybridizes with other mullein species, including V. nigrum, V. pulverentum, and V. thapsus.
