Verbascum thapsus
Verbascum pulverulentum
common mullein, cowboy toilet paper, flannel mullein, flannel plant, grande molène, great mullein, woolly mullein
broad-leaf mullein
50–150(–200) cm, densely and loosely white-floccose, glabrescent, eglandular.
surfaces densely and loosely white-floccose, glabrescent, especially abaxially, sometimes thin-persistent adaxially, eglandular;
basal and proximal cauline sessile;
blade obovate to oblong-ovate, 12–30(–40) × 5–10(–15) cm, base attenuate;
cauline clasping or subclasping, gradually smaller distally, base not decurrent, margins crenate or subentire, apex of distal cauline and floral bracts acuminate.
freely branched, broadly elliptic to ovate panicle, flowers becoming remote in fruit, in clusters of 2–5;
rachis densely and loosely white-floccose on both surfaces, easily separating, glabrescent, eglandular;
bracts linear, 3–5 mm, base not decurrent, apex acute, densely and loosely white-floccose on both surfaces, easily separating, glabrescent, eglandular.
free, (1–)2–5(–7) mm;
bracteoles 2.
calyx 2–3.5 mm, densely and loosely white-floccose on both surfaces, easily separating, glabrescent, eglandular, lobes linear-lanceolate;
corolla yellow, 18–20 mm diam., pellucid glands numerous;
filaments villous, hairs white;
stigma capitate.
ellipsoid-globular, 3–5(–8) mm, glabrescent.
Verbascum thapsus
Verbascum pulverulentum
Subspecies 3 (1 in the flora).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Verbascum pulverulentum is recognized by its densely white-floccose vestiture (separating easily in clumps from the stems and leaf surfaces), non-decurrent cauline leaves, freely branched inflorescences with remote fruiting clusters, and relatively small flowers.
Verbascum pulverulentum was discovered in the flora area in 1999 as a weed in the Washington Park Arboretum, Seattle (A. L. Jacobsen et al. 2001). These plants were clearly seen as growing outside of cultivation at the time, and plants were collected again in 2005, suggesting that V. pulverulentum persists at the arboretum site.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
- Local floras:
BC, 
CA, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos,
Flora NW, 
Go Botany, 
IL Wildflowers, 
KS Wildflowers, 
LA Plants, 
MD Biodiversity, 
MI Flora, 
MN Wildflowers, 
MO Plants, 
PNW Herbaria, 
SW CO Wildflowers, Turner Photog. 
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
- Google Image Search
