Image of broad-leaf mullein

Description:

Slo.: kosmiasti lunik - syn.: Verbascum acutifolium Halcsy, Verbascum floccosum - Habitat: Grassy roadside, ruderal, flat terrain; full sun, dry place; calcareous ground; elevation 125 m (410 feet); average precipitations ~ 900-1000 mm/year, average temperature 13-15 deg C, sun-Mediterranean phytogeographical region. - Substratum: soil. - Comment: Genus Verbascum is large and encompasses almost 100 species. Many of them are stout, remarkable green plants, some up to 2,5 m tall. Slovenian vernacular name for most of them 'papeeva svea' means 'pope's candle' and German name means 'King's candle') since some single-stem species nicely resemble stout candle with yellow flame on top. However, the color of their numerous flowers can be from white, yellow, reddish to dark, intensive violet, but admittedly most of them bloom bright yellow. It is not always easy to separate them to species level since they are variable and often form hybrids. - Verbascum pulverulentum is a south and west European floral element, wide spread but rather rare. It is not limited to (sub)-Mediterranean region but can be found in several other European countries including Slovenia. Its most obvious morphological trait are its wooly hairs. When young, the plants are densely hairy. But the hairs fall off soon and form typical white flakes or clumps (see Figs.3 and 4). Stem and branches are round in cross-section and upper stem leaves are pointed (notice one of Latin synonym species names - 'acutifolium') (see Fig.7). Stamens have long whitish 'beard' of hairs and their bright red anthers are set perpendicularly to them (see Fig.5). - Ref.:(1) M.A. Fischer, W. Adler, K. Oswald, Exkursionsflora fr sterreich, Liechtenstein und Sdtirol, LO Landesmuseen, Linz, Austria (2005), p 723. (2) A. Martini et all., Mala Flora Slovenije (Flora of Slovenia - Key) (in Slovenian), Tehnina Zaloba Slovenije (2007), p 549. (3) W.K. Rottensteiner, Exkursionsflora fr Istrien, Verlag des Naturwissenschaftlichen Vereins fr Krnten, (2014), p 873. (4) R. Domac, Flora Hrvatske (Flora of Croatia) (in Croatian), kolska Knjiga, Zagreb (1994), p 270. (5) N. Jogan (ed.), Gradivo za Atlas flore Slovenije (Materials for the Atlas of Flora of Slovenia), CKSF (2001), p 399 (6) L. Poldini, Nuovo Atlante corologico delle piante vascolari nel Friuli Venezia Giulia, University of Trieste (2002), p 511.