Moth mullein / T. nigrum

[KeenTeen17]

Is this moth mullein or dark mullein. my original thought was dark mullein.

[Tiggrx]

It is not Moth Mullein (V. blattaria) which has more widely spaced flowers. I am also not sure that it is Dark Mullein (V. nigrum). Presuming that the plants in the background are the same species then they appear to have branched flower-spikes (unlike V. nigrum which usually has unbranched spikes), which to me would suggest Nettle-leaved Mullein (V. chaixii).

Mullein species also produce a number of hybrids which could confuse the issue

[NickCantle]

I'd say it was Dark Mullein, but I don't know anything about the other option so my opinion is invalid

[KeenTeen17]

I've googled V. chaixii and all the results have returned samples with white flowers. the ones i saw were yellow. but the stamens look the same though

[Tiggrx]

Originally Posted by KeenTeen17

I've googled V. chaixii and all the results have returned samples with white flowers. the ones i saw were yellow. but the stamens look the same though

Yeah, the white form is quite common in gardens but the natural colour is yellow.

[KeenTeen17]

Originally Posted by Tiggrx

Yeah, the white form is quite common in gardens but the natural colour is yellow.

so is nettle leaved mullein another one of those garden escapes or is there natural species that grows like great mullein in the wild.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by KeenTeen17

so is nettle leaved mullein another one of those garden escapes or is there natural species that grows like great mullein in the wild.

It's a garden escape in the UK as are several other species.

[davidbr]

My best guess would actually be Purple Mullein, Verbascum phoeniceum, although it's quite a while since I've seen one and never in the wild.

It's supposedly reasonably frequent as a bird-seed casual, though, as well as grown in gardens.

[poschiavanus]

Nice photos KT17. I find these difficult to get good images of the flower details. Do you have any pictures of the leaves? This should separate nigrum from chaxii.

Here's the relevant section of the key from Stace (all reniform anthers with purple hairy filaments):

5a. Flowers 1 per node in axil of bract; bracteoles absent............................................ ............... 6.
5b. Flowers 2-several per node in axil of bract; each pedicel with 2 small bracteoles...................... 7.
6a. Corolla violet to purple; hairs all simple, mostly glandular; inflorescence usually simple.............Verbascum phoeniceum.
6b. Corolla yellow; many hairs stellate; inflorescence much branched.................... Verbascum pyramidatum.
7a. Basal leaves truncate to rounded at base; pedicels all similar length,c. as long as calyx ....................Verbascum chaixii.
7b. Basal leaves cordate at base; pedicels variable in length, many c. as long as calyx, the longest twice as long as or longer than calyx..........Verbascum nigrum.

HTH,

posch

[Tiggrx]

Originally Posted by davidbr

My best guess would actually be Purple Mullein, Verbascum phoeniceum, although it's quite a while since I've seen one and never in the wild.

It's supposedly reasonably frequent as a bird-seed casual, though, as well as grown in gardens.

Here is a pic of the yellow form of Purple Mullein to compare - looks very different from KT17's plant