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molène blattaire, moth mullein

dense-flower mullein, verbascum densiflorum

Habit Annuals or biennials. Biennials.
Stems

60–150 cm, glabrous or glabrate.

30–120 cm, densely and persistently tomentose, eglandular.

Leaves

surfaces glabrous or glabrate;

basal and proximal cauline with petiole 1–2 mm;

blade obovate to oblanceolate, oblong, or oblong-lanceolate, 4–12(–20) × 1.5–5 cm, base subrounded to broadly cuneate;

cauline subclasping, gradually smaller distally, base not decurrent, margins coarsely and regularly crenate-dentate to dentate or pinnately dentate-lobed, apex of distal cauline and floral bracts acute.

surfaces densely and persistently tomentose, eglandular;

basal and proximal cauline with petiole 10–30 mm;

blade obovate to oblong-ovate, 5–25(–30) × 4–8(–12) cm, base attenuate;

cauline not clasping, gradually smaller distally, base long-decurrent, margins crenate, apex of distal cauline and floral bracts long-acuminate.

Inflorescences

unbranched, rarely branched from proximal nodes, narrowly cylindric, flowers remote, solitary in axils at least distally;

rachis stipitate-glandular, without other vestiture;

bracts ovate to lanceolate-ovate, 7–10(–15) mm, base decurrent, apex acute to short-acuminate, stipitate-glandular.

unbranched, narrowly cylindric, sometimes branched from proximal nodes, forming a panicle, flowers densely overlapping, in clusters of 2–8;

rachis densely and persistently tomentose, eglandular;

bracts ovate, 15–40 mm, base decurrent, apex long-acuminate, densely and persistently tomentose, eglandular.

Pedicels

free or adnate to rachis at base, 5–11(–15) mm;

bracteoles 0.

free or adnate to rachis at base, 3–15 mm;

bracteoles 2.

Flowers

calyx 5–7 mm, stipitate-glandular, lobes linear-lanceolate to narrowly oblong;

corolla purple in bud, becoming yellow, yellow-orange, yellow with purple center, white, cream with red-tinged tips, or pink, 25–35 mm diam., pellucid glands absent or relatively few;

proximal filaments hairy, hairs purple, distal pair villous, hairs white and purple or violet;

stigma spatulate, base decurrent.

calyx 5–12 mm, densely and persistently tomentose, eglandular, lobes ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate;

corolla yellow, 30–55 mm diam., pellucid glands absent or relatively few;

proximal filaments glabrous, distal pair villous, hairs white or yellow, anthers orange;

stigma spatulate, base decurrent.

Capsules

subglobular, 5–8 mm, sparsely stipitate-glandular apically.

elliptic-ovoid, 5–8 mm, tomentose.

2n

= 18, 30, 32.

Verbascum blattaria

Verbascum densiflorum

Phenology Flowering May–Jul(–Oct). Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Stream banks, lake edges, ditches, dry hills, railroad rights-of-way, orchards, prairies, open oak woods, rocky meadows, roadsides, fields, disturbed sites. Fields, roadsides, disturbed sites.
Elevation 0–1300 m. (0–4300 ft.) 50–300 m. (200–1000 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MO; MS; MT; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; BC; NB; ON; QC; Europe; Asia [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Pacific Islands (Hawaii, New Zealand), Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
IA; MA; MI; MO; WI; Europe; Asia [Introduced in North America; introduced also in South America (Chile), Australia]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Verbascum ×pterocaulon Franchet is a hybrid between V. blattaria and V. thapsus.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Verbascum ×humnickii Franchet is a hybrid between V. densiflorum and V. thapsus.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 346. FNA vol. 17, p. 348.
Parent taxa Scrophulariaceae > Verbascum Scrophulariaceae > Verbascum
Sibling taxa
V. bombyciferum, V. densiflorum, V. lychnitis, V. nigrum, V. phlomoides, V. phoeniceum, V. pulverulentum, V. sinuatum, V. speciosum, V. thapsus, V. virgatum
V. blattaria, V. bombyciferum, V. lychnitis, V. nigrum, V. phlomoides, V. phoeniceum, V. pulverulentum, V. sinuatum, V. speciosum, V. thapsus, V. virgatum
Synonyms V. thapsiforme
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 178. (1753) Bertoloni: Rar. Lig. [Ital.] Pl. 3: 52. (1810)
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