''Verbascum sinuatum'', commonly known as the scallop-leaved mullein,Wild Flowers of Israel
Verbascum sinuatum the wavyleaf mullein, or Candela regia, is a species of

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of ...

plants in the genus ''

Verbascum ''Verbascum'' is a genus of over 450 species of flowering plants, common name mullein (), in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. Mullein or "mullein le ...

'' (mullein), growing in heavy soils in

Central Asia Central Asia is a region of Asia consisting of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The countries as a group are also colloquially referred to as the "-stans" as all have names ending with the Persian language, Pers ...

and the Mediterranean region. It grows to . The plant has an erect inflorescence stem, and is entirely covered with stellate hairs (

trichomes Trichomes (; ) are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants, algae, lichens, and certain protists. They are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae. A covering of any kind of hair on a plant ...

) which are not pleasant to the touch.

Description

In the winter, a rosette of broad-leaves grows at the base of the Scallop-leaved mullein and spreads itself on the ground (length 30–50 cm).Avi Shmida, ''MAPA's Dictionary of Plants and Flowers in Israel'', Tel Aviv 2005, p. 146 (s.v. Verbascum sinuatum) (Hebrew) In the spring, a leafless stalk grows from the base of the plant, splitting into many diagonal stems that can grow as much as 50 to 100 cm. in length, on which the flowers are located. The plant bears simple, emarginate leaves, and has a yellow lamp-shaped flower (hence its name ''Candela'') of 5 petals, blossoming mostly in late May to August, although sometimes as late as October. The plant's leaves are alternate, rosette, entire, dentate or serrate.

Distribution and habitat

The plant has a broad Irano-Turanian distribution, as well as a broad Mediterranean distribution (stretching from the Mediterranean coastal regions to West and South

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

). The plant is native to Israel, where it grows in the

Golan Golan (; ) is the name of a biblical town later known from the works of Josephus (first century CE) and Eusebius (''Onomasticon'', early 4th century CE). Archaeologists localize the biblical city of Golan at Sahm el-Jaulān, a Syrian village eas ...

, the

Hermon Mount Hermon ( / ALA-LC: ('Mountain of the Sheikh', ), , ) is a mountain cluster constituting the southern end of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range. Its summit straddles the border between Syria and Lebanon and, at above sea level, is the ...

, the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea, Gilboa,

Carmel Carmel may refer to: * Carmel (biblical settlement), an ancient Israelite town in Judea * Mount Carmel, a coastal mountain range in Israel overlooking the Mediterranean Sea * Carmelites, a Roman Catholic mendicant religious order Carmel may also ...

Samarian Mountains Samaria (), the Hellenized form of the Hebrew name Shomron (), is used as a historical and biblical name for the central region of the Land of Israel. It is bordered by Judea to the south and Galilee to the north. The region is known to the ...

Judean Mountains The Judaean Mountains, or Judaean Hills (, or ,) are a mountain range in the West Bank and Israel where Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Hebron and several other biblical sites are located. The mountains reach a height of . The Judean Mountains can be div ...

, the Jordan Valley, the Sharon valley,

Shephelah The Shephelah () or Shfela (), or the Judaean Foothills (), is a transitional region of soft-sloping rolling hills in south-central Israel stretching over between the Judaean Mountains and the Coastal Plain. The different use of the term "Jud ...

, Northern Negev, and Eilat Mountains, and the

Arabah The Arabah/Araba () or Aravah/Arava () is a loosely defined geographic area in the Negev Desert, south of the Dead Sea basin, which forms part of the border between Israel to the west and Jordan to the east. The old meaning, which was in use ...

, typically found in waste habitats, along waysides, and in open chaparrals (shrublands) and phrygana.

Properties

The scallop-leaved mullein does not produce nectar, but it produces pollen, which attracts bees that collect the pollen. One of the plant's unique features is that when the flower of the plant is merely touched or damaged (such as when one tries tearing one of its petals, or cutting out the stamens) it reacts abruptly by shedding the complete corolla. However, the response is not instantaneous, but "calculated": at first, nothing happens, as if the plant is "thinking" and considering its response; After 30 seconds, the corolla suddenly drops-off. The corolla is short-lived, usually no more than a day. The mechanism is triggered by a sudden shrinking of the

calyx CALYX, Inc. is a non-profit publisher of art and literature by women founded in 1976 based in Corvallis, Oregon. CALYX publishes both '' CALYX, A Journal of Art and Literature by Women'' twice a year and CALYX Books, which publishes one to three ...

, but how the command is transferred from the sensors in the petals of the flower to its activation of the calyx has yet to be determined.

Medicinal and other uses

In some societies, the flower of certain species of mullein have been used to flavor alcoholic beverages. Other medicinal uses of the flower include a remedy for sore throat and cough, although its efficacy has yet to be scientifically proven. The leaves of certain species of mullein are applied to the skin for wounds, burns, and frostbite. The leaves are used topically to soften and protect the skin.

Gallery

File:Verbascum sinuatum flower.jpg, alt=Verbascum sinuatum flowers, The scallop-leaved mullein flowers File:Verbascum sinuatum branch.jpg, ''Verbascum sinuatum'' inflorescence File:Verbascum sinuatum, Sète 01.jpg File:Verbascum sinuatum - leaves.JPG, alt=Verbascum sinuatum leaves, Verbascum sinuatum leaves File:Mullein - Verbascum sinuatum.jpg, Verbascum sinuatum in Israel File:Verbascum sinuatum - Flora Graeca - vol. 3 - t. 227.jpg, ''Verbascum sinuatum'' illustration

References

External links

* (reprinted by Oxford Academic Journals)
Royal Botanic Gardens: Kew Science
Online Plants of the World (''Verbascum sinuatum'' L.) {{Taxonbar, from=Q2253450 sinuatum Flora of Israel Flora of Palestine (region) Flora of Turkey Flora of Greece Flora of Cyprus Flora of Syria Flora of Iraq Flora of Iran Flora of Lebanon Flora of Jordan Flora of Portugal Flora of Spain Flora of Gibraltar Flora of France Flora of Corsica Flora of Sardinia Flora of Italy Flora of Sicily Flora of Croatia Flora of Montenegro Flora of Serbia Flora of the Canary Islands Flora of Albania Flora of Crete Flora of the Crimean Peninsula Flora of Ukraine Flora of Egypt Flora of Sinai Flora of Libya Flora of Tunisia Flora of Algeria Flora of Morocco Flora of Madeira Flora of Kosovo Flora of Bulgaria Flora of Armenia Flora of Bosnia and Herzegovina Flora of Georgia (country) Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Flora of Malta