Verbascum thapsus

Distribution Map: Based on vouchered plant specimens only. View county names by placing the mouse cursor over a particular county.

Family:	SCROPHULARIACEAE
Species:	Verbascum thapsus L.
Common Name:	Woolly Mullein; Common Mullein; Flannel Plant
Habitat:	**
Associated Ecological Communities:	**
Growth Habit:	Herb
Duration:	Biennial
Category:	Vascular
USDA Symbol:	VETH
Plant Notes:	Woolly Mullein is an introduced herbaceous annual or biennial in the Figwort family (Scrophulariaceae). It is native to Asia, Europe, and northern Africa. Moth Mullen can be found throughout Alabama on roadsides, along railroads, in pastures, in prairies, and in urban lots. It is an annual or biennial from a stout taproot. Stems are erect, 2-6 feet in height, and densely and persistently tomentose. The leaves are petiolate, basal and cauline (cauline reduced in size upwards), obovate to elliptic in outline, and persistently tomentose. The margins are crenate to entire. Flowers are produced in a thick, terminal, tomentose, unbranched inflorescence. Individual flowers have 5 green, tomentose sepals. The corolla is rotate with 5 yellow lobes. The fruit is a capsule. The leaves of Woolly Mullein have been used as toilet paper, baby diapers, and to stuff shoes that have developed holes. In traditional medicine the leaves were smoked to treat lung ailments such as asthma and emphysema. During the Civil War the leaves were soaked in vinegar and used as bandages. Woolly Mullein is easily grown from seed. It makes an interesting foliage plant with its large pubescent gray leaves. It requires full sun and thrives in poor, dry soils.—A. Diamond.
Taxonomic Notes:	**
Status:	Not Native
References:	**

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

Family	SCROPHULARIACEAE - Figwort family
Genus	Verbascum
Species	Verbascum thapsus L. - Woolly Mullein; Common Mullein; Flannel Plant

Citation

Citation	Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 177. 1753.
Basionym:	**
Type:	Without data (lectotype: LINN 242.1). Lectotypified by L. H. Cramer, in Dassanayake & Fosberg, Revis. Handb. Fl. Ceylon 3: 389. 1981.

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

Synonym	Full Citation	Basionym	Type
Verbascum alatum	Verbascum alatum Lamarck, Fl. Franc. 2: 259. 1779 ("1778"), nom. illegit.	Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus 1753.
Verbascum angustius	Verbascum angustius Schrank, Neues Bot. Taschenb. Anfaenger. Wiss. Apothekerkunst 1809: 90. 1809.
Verbascum canescens	Verbascum canescens Jordan ex Boreau, Fl. Centre France, ed. 3. 2: 470. 1857.		FRANCE
Verbascum collinum	Verbascum collinum Schrader, Monogr. Verbasci 1: 35. 1813, non Salisbury 1796.		GERMANY
Verbascum cuspidatum	Verbascum cuspidatum Schrader, Monogr. Verbasci 1: 23. 1813.		AUSTRIA
Verbascum decurrens	Verbascum decurrens Stokes, Bot. Mat. Med. 1: 378. 1812, nom. illegit.	Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus 1753.
Verbascum elongatum	Verbascum elongatum Willdenow, Enum. Pl. 223. 1809, non Moench 1794.
Verbascum indicum	Verbascum indicum Wallich, in Roxburgh, Fl. Ind. 2: 236. 1820.		NEPAL
Verbascum linnaei	Verbascum linnaei Opiz ex Berchtold & Opiz, Oekon.-Techn. Fl. Boehm. 3: 366, 371. 1841, nom. illegit.	Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus 1753.
Verbascum neglectum	Verbascum neglectum Gussone, Fl. Sicul. Prodr., Suppl. 59. 1832-1833.		ITALY
Verbascum officinarum	Verbascum officinarum Crantz, Inst. Rei Herb. 2: 323. 1766.
Verbascum pallidum	Verbascum pallidum Nees von Esenbeck, Flora 2: 296. 1819.
Verbascum plantagineum	Verbascum plantagineum Moris, Stirp. Sard. Elench. 1: 33. 1827.
Verbascum schraderi	Verbascum schraderi G. Meyer, Chloris Han. 325. 1836.
Verbascum seminigrum	Verbascum seminigrum Fries, Novit. Fl. Suec. 68. 1819.		SWEDEN
Verbascum simplex	Verbascum simplex Hoffmannsegg & Link, Fl. Portug. 1: 216. 1811.		PORTUGAL
Verbascum spectabile	Verbascum spectabile Salisbury, Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton 104. 1796, nom. illegit.	Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus 1753.

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort; choose a county or herbaria to filter the specimen data.

Counties included on distribution map: Autauga, Baldwin, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Butler, Calhoun, Chambers, Chilton, Clarke, Clay, Cleburne, Coffee, Colbert, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Dallas, DeKalb, Elmore, Escambia, Geneva, Greene, Jackson, Jefferson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee, Limestone, Macon, Marshall, Mobile, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Pickens, Pike, Randolph, Russell, Shelby, St. Clair, Sumter, Tallapoosa, Wilcox, Winston

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AUA, JSU, SAMF, TROY, UNA, USAM, UWAL

Range of years during which specimens were collected: 1956 - 2019

Barcode / Accession No.	County	Coll. Date	Collector & Collection No.	Herbarium & Herbarium Name Used
AUA000030358	Escambia	23 Mar 2011	Hansen, Curtis J. 4975	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
SAMF0003176	Bibb	10 Jun 2015	Davenport, Lawrence J. 5896	SAMF Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
TROY000023942	Chilton	27 Jul 2005	Diamond, Alvin R. 15599	TROY Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
UNA00042535	Pickens	04 Jul 1986	Horn, Charles N. 1131	UNA Verbascum thapsus L.
JSU134072	Cleburne	30 Jun 1994	Hruska, Susan E. 247	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_55418	Crenshaw	31 Jul 1995	Diamond, Alvin R. 9764	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
JSU134076	Jefferson	13 Jul 1984	Barber, J. Patrick 795	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_65236	Chilton	27 Jul 2005	Diamond, Alvin R. 15599	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
UNA00054619	Blount	16 Jun 1998	Keener, Brian R. 1017	UNA Verbascum thapsus L.
JSU134141	Shelby	20 Jul 1993	Whetstone, R. David s.n.	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
UWAL0004166	Lawrence	20 Jun 2006	England, J. Kevin 649	UWAL Verbascum thapsus L.
SAMF0004768	Jefferson	25 Jun 2006	Davenport, Lawrence J. 3486	SAMF Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_60969	Lee	18 Jul 1968	Burnett, Jr., William C.	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
UWAL0057398	Bibb	02 Sep 2019	Keener, Brian R. 11568	UWAL Verbascum thapsus L.
JSU134142	Marshall	9 Sep 1991	Spaulding, Daniel D. 851	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_7661	Sumter	3 Jul 1960	Jones, Jr., Samuel B. 165	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
JSU134077	Jefferson	13 Jul 1984	Barber, J. Patrick 795	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_44199	Conecuh	28 Jun 1985	Diamond, Alvin R. 1008	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
TROY000028216	Lawrence	20 Jun 2006	England, J. Kevin 649	TROY Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
JSU134080	Shelby	20 Jul 1993	Whetstone, R. David s.n.	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_48192	Elmore	30 Sep 1980	Bozeman, L.L. 039	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
TROY000009194	Escambia	28 May 1995	Brittain, Cynthia L. 294	TROY Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
JSU134073	Cleburne	9 May 1973	Whetstone, R. David RDW-1241	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
UWAL0046061	Autauga	14 Dec 2017	Parker, Matthew R. 1478	UWAL Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_51142	Covington	13 Dec 1989	Diamond, Alvin R. 6624	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
ALNHS00000850	Monroe	06 Jul 2011	Barger, T. Wayne RH-286	ALNHS Verbascum thapsus L.
JSU134071	Clay	2 Aug 1992	Ballard, J. Mark 442	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_47339	Chambers	15 Jul 1983	Hayes, Sherrad 79	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
TROY000009191	Butler	06 Sep 2007	Diamond, Alvin R. 18044	TROY Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
UWAL0016363	Montgomery	24 Jul 2014	Diamond, Alvin R. 25364	UWAL Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
UWAL0019502	Lauderdale	09 Jul 2015	England, J. Kevin 5522	UWAL Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus ssp. thapsus
SAMF0004767	St. Clair	20 Sep 2011	Davenport, Lawrence J. 4894	SAMF Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
JSU134075	Jackson	5 Aug 1975	Whetstone, R. David 5887	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
JSU134143	Lawrence	12 Aug 1974	Atkinson, Tim A. 647	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_42722	Limestone	3 Jul 1972	Luckett, Larry 056	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
TROY000033413	Barbour	20 Aug 2011	Dykes, Bailee 35	TROY Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
UNA00042545	Marshall	07 Jul 1956	Thomas, Joab L. 44	UNA Verbascum thapsus L.
UWAL0034979	Morgan	19 Jun 2017	England, J. Kevin 8027	UWAL Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus ssp. thapsus
AUA_ACC_49108	Pike	24 Jun 1988	Diamond, Alvin R. 5071	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
UNA00045971	Barbour	26 May 1998	MacDonald, John R. 11277	UNA Verbascum thapsus L.
AUA_ACC_34824	Bibb	9 Jun 1977	Sessler, Ann H. 1533	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
AUA_ACC_12944	Chambers	22 May 1967	Golden, Michael 179	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
TROY000023943	Randolph	17 Aug 1988	Nixon, Christopher F. 4184	TROY Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
JSU134069	Calhoun	15 Jul 1969	Ellard, Jerry s.n.	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
UWAL0014448	Colbert	26 Jun 2014	England, J. Kevin 5025	UWAL Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_73114	Lauderdale	9 Jul 2015	England, J. Kevin 5522	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
TROY000036078	Bullock	19 Jun 2012	Dykes, Bailee 890	TROY Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
JSU140351	Calhoun	15 Jul 1969	Tudor, Jessica s.n.	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
UWAL0014793	Bullock	19 Jun 2012	Dykes, Bailee 890	UWAL Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
USAM000014597	Mobile	02 Jun 1969	LeLong, Michel G. 5122	USAM Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
JSU134144	Randolph	14 Aug 1986	Nixon, Christopher F. 2613	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_26838	Tallapoosa	12 Aug 1974	Hutto, T.A. 477	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
AUA_ACC_61497	Barbour	7 Jun 2002	Gil, Glenda 2001-198	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
ALNHS00001689	Dallas	21 Jul 2010	Barger, T. Wayne OC-443	ALNHS Verbascum thapsus L.
AUA_ACC_17212	Winston	5 Jul 1969	Thornhill, Randy 079	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
TROY000024112	Wilcox	26 Oct 2008	Diamond, Alvin R. 20357	TROY Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
JSU134070	Clarke	13 Sep 1997	Whetstone, R. David 18771	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
AUA000038270	Morgan	19 Jun 2017	England, J. Kevin 8027	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
TROY000040696	Montgomery	24 Jul 2014	Diamond, Alvin R. 25364	TROY Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_62992	Cleburne	19 Jun 1957	Adams, W.H.	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
TROY000009192	Coffee	24 Jun 1999	Martin, Brian H. 69	TROY Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
UWAL0043862	Baldwin	31 Jul 2002	Larsen, Harry S. 1103	UWAL Verbascum thapsus L.
SAMF0004765	Jefferson	22 Jun 1948	McCullough, Herbert A. 48-51	SAMF Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
JSU134078	Limestone	27 Jun 1996	Whetstone, R. David 17894	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
JSU134074	Jackson	20 Jun 1998	Brodeur, Kristin R. 827	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
JSU134067	Calhoun	15 Jul 1969	Cofield, Jan s.n.	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_20364	Russell	29 Jul 1970	Moore, Harold D. 417	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
AUA_ACC_17213	Lee	29 Jul 1969	Ellis, H.C. 113	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
ALNHS00006438	DeKalb	29 Jun 2016	Barger, T. Wayne SP#3348	ALNHS Verbascum thapsus L.
JSU134079	Marshall	9 Sep 1991	Spaulding, Daniel D. 851	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_17211	Geneva	25 Jul 1969	Simonds, E.P. 081	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
JSU134145	Randolph	14 Aug 1986	Nixon, Christopher F. 2613	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_22353	Macon	10 Jul 1970	Hopson, George R. .0055	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
TROY000048125	Autauga	14 Dec 2017	Parker, Matthew R. 1478	TROY Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_61496	Barbour	7 Jun 2002	Gil, Glenda 2001-198	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
JSU134146	Shelby	22 Jul 1982	Whetstone, R. David 11599	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_47167	Jackson	23 Jul 1983	Dodd, J.K. 81	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
TROY000047731	Autauga	07 Sep 2017	Parker, Matthew R. 1196	TROY Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
UNA00042538	Mobile	26 Jun 1964	Deramus, Rebecca D141	UNA Verbascum thapsus L.
JSU134068	Calhoun	4 Apr 1984	Beavers, Donna D. s.n.	JSU Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_30979	Macon	20 Jun 1973	Owen, J.T. 001B	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
TROY000009196	Pike	29 Apr 1993	Collins, Amanda C. 5	TROY Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
SAMF0004766	Jefferson	18 May 1953	Kennedy, C. s.n.	SAMF Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
TROY000009195	Pike	02 Jul 1997	Holmes, Jeanese 270	TROY Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_35085	Jefferson	28 Jul 1977	Sessler, Ann H. 1764	AUA Verbascum Thapsus L.
TROY000009193	Dale	03 Jul 2000	Pennington, Tiffany 875	TROY Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus
UWAL0049163	Bullock	31 Jul 2016	Horne, Howard E. 3469	UWAL Verbascum thapsus Linnaeus ssp. thapsus
UWAL0017066	Greene	20 Jun 2014	Keener, Brian R. 8493	UWAL Verbascum thapsus L.

View a List of All Ecological Communities

For more information, contact: Brian R. Keener, Ph.D.

Data last modified: 11/9/2024

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Citation Information:

Keener, B.R., A.R. Diamond, T.W. Barger, L.J. Davenport, P.G. Davison, S.L. Ginzbarg, C.J. Hansen, D.D. Spaulding, J.K. Triplett, and M. Woods. 2024. Alabama Plant Atlas. [S.M. Landry and K.N. Campbell (original application development), Florida Center for Community Design and Research. University of South Florida]. University of West Alabama, Livingston, Alabama.

Data, text, and images licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Verbascum thapsus

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Classification

Citation

Synonyms

Specimens and Distribution