mullein

mul·lein  (mln)

n.

Any of various Eurasian plants of the genus Verbascum, especially V. thapsus, a tall plant having closely clustered yellow flowers and leaves covered with dense woolly down. Also called flannel leaf, velvet plant.

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[Middle English moleine, from Anglo-Norman, probably from mol, soft, from Latin mollis; see moil.]

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mullein, mullen [ˈmʌlɪn]

n

(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) any of various European herbaceous plants of the scrophulariaceous genus Verbascum, such as V. thapsus (common mullein or Aaron's rod), typically having tall spikes of yellow flowers and broad hairy leaves

[from Old French moleine, probably from Old French mol soft, from Latin mollis]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

mullein - any of various plants of the genus Verbascum having large usually woolly leaves and terminal spikes of yellow or white or purplish flowers flannel leaf, velvet plant herb, herbaceous plant - a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests genus Verbascum, Verbascum - genus of coarse herbs and subshrubs mostly with woolly leaves moth mullein, Verbascum blattaria - European mullein with smooth leaves and large yellow or purplish flowers; naturalized as a weed in North America Verbascum lychnitis, white mullein - densely hairy Eurasian herb with racemose white flowers; naturalized in North America purple mullein, Verbascum phoeniceum - Eurasian mullein with showy purple or pink flowers Aaron's rod, common mullein, flannel mullein, great mullein, Verbascum thapsus, woolly mullein, torch - tall-stalked very woolly mullein with densely packed yellow flowers; ancient Greeks and Romans dipped the stalks in tallow for funeral torches