Verbascum thapsus
Citation:
L., Sp. Pl. 177 (1753) subsp. thapsus.
Synonymy: Not Applicable Common name: Great mullein, Aarons rod.
Description:
Stout erect biennial to over 2 m high, covered by soft velvety dense eglandular-stellate tomentum; leaves entire or finely crenulate, the lower ones 8-50 x 2.5-14 cm, with the blade obovate-elliptic to elliptic, tapering into a petiole, higher up sessile with the base decurrent along the stem.
Inflorescence a dense terminal spike 15-30 cm or more long, with flowers in clusters within each bract, the bracts ovate to lanceolate, 12-18 mm long, acuminate; pedicels short, decurrent along the rhachis; sepals narrow-ovate, 5-12 mm long; corolla small, 12-(in Europe) 20 rarely 35 mm diam., pale-yellow; stamens 5, more or less equal in length, c. 4-5 mm long in mature bud, with anthers reniform, the lower pair of filaments (in subsp. thapsus and all S. Aust. specimens) glabrous, the upper 3 villous.
Capsule broad-ovoid, 7-10 mm long.
Published illustration:
Ross-Craig (1966) Drawings Brit. Pl. 22:t. 1; Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 600.
Distribution:
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W.Aust.; Qld; N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas. Native to Eurasia.
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Conservation status:
naturalised
Flowering time: recorded Jan — March.
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SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
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Biology:
No text
Author:
Not yet available
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