Common Name: Great Mullein
Great Mullein is a bi-annual plant native to Europe. The plant is often found on road-sides and fallow lands in hill station towns of Western Ghats. In the first year of growth the plant form a mat of leaves on the floor; in the second year it sends out a vertical long un-branched stem. The plant grows to a height of about 3.5 feet. The entire plant is covered with white colored hairs. This gives the entire plant a silvery color. The upper leaves are near sessile and can measure around 18 cm in length. On the upper portion of the long branch, yellow small flowers emerge. Initially they remain covered within hairy bracts. The flower has 5 petals and five stamens. The flowers are near sessile. The fruit is in the form of a capsule covered by the persistent calyx elements. They contain brown colored seeds. Great mullein has medical applications in traditional European medicinal practices.
