MULLEIN 217 



Mullein (Verbascum Thapsus, L.) 



In Interglacial beds at West Wittering, traces of Mullein have been 

 discovered, thus establishing its ancient origin. It is known to-day in 

 the N. Temperate Zone in Europe, N. and W. Asia, as far as the 

 Himalayas, and in N. America is an introduction. In Great Britain it 

 is found in the Peninsula, Channel, Thames, Anglia, Severn provinces; 

 in S. Wales, except in Radnor and Cardigan; in N. Wales, except in 

 Montgomery and Merioneth; throughout the Trent province; in the 

 Mersey province, except in Mid Lanes; in the H umber, Tyne, and 

 Lakes district; in the W. Lowlands, except in Wigtown; in the 

 E. Lowlands, except in Peebles, Selkirk; in the E. Highlands, except 

 in Mid Perth, Kincardine, N. Aberdeen, Banff; Dumbarton, Clyde 

 Islands, S. Ebucles, E. Sutherland, Caithness. It is found in Ireland 

 and the Channel Islands. 



Mullein is xerophytic and addicted to dry places. It is extremely 

 local, and is very often an escape, being largely grown in gardens. It 

 may be found in woods, on slopes of stony hills, and in such habitats 

 may be indigenous. It is a tall, handsome plant, with an erect, simple 

 stem, bearing leaves, woolly on both sides, as also is every part of the 

 stem, the leaves running down the stem, scalloped, the upper ones 

 acute, oblong, egg-shaped. The first name refers to the downy 1 char- 

 acter of the leaves, the second relating to its supposed first name. 



The flowers are yellow, borne on long, leafy spikes, dense, with 

 wheel-shaped corolla, the flower-stalks less than the calyx, the corolla 

 twice the latter. The anther-stalks are woolly (2) and smooth. 



This plant is often 6 ft. high. July and August are the months 

 when Mullein flowers. It is a herbaceous biennial reproduced by seeds 

 and cultivated in gardens. 



The flowers are conspicuous, but contain little honey. The corolla 

 is wheel-shaped, and of the 5 stamens 2 are superior, and the three 

 other anther-stalks are bearded with white hairs. The anthers in 

 the long stamens are somewhat decurrent. The stigma is simple. 

 Mullein^is visited by the honey bee, 13oibns, Halictus, Amircmi, 

 Polities, Diptera, Syrphidee, Helophilus, Syri/ta, -Iscia. 



The capsule opens by septa, and allows the seeds to be scattered 

 around the plant itself. 



This plant is a sand plant and grows on sand soil, rupestral growin 

 on different types of rock soil. 



1 This serves as a protection, and excludes creeping insects 



