Image de Molene lychnite

Description :

Slo.: napraeni lunik - Habitat: steep mountain slope, south aspect, unmaintained montane grassland with tall herbs, road side, calcareous, skeletal ground, full sun, dry and warm place, elevation 1.225 m (4.020 feet); average precipitations ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 4-6 deg C, alpine phytogeographical region. Substratum: stony soil.Comment: Plants belonging to genus mullein (Verbascum) are eye-catching and stout. Many common names prove this. Some are imagination full and talk about light; like Knigskerze (king's candle) (DE), Lichtnelke (light-dandelion) (DE) or papeeva svea (pope's candle) (SI). Some plants can grow more than 2 m high. There are 16 species growing in the Alps, out of these 13 are present in Slovenia (on 20.000 m2 or about 8% of territory of the Alps). All of them have numerous, bright yellow, but quite similar flowers except one: purple mullein (Verbascum phoeniceum), which is purple-violet. Distinguishing among them is not always simple since often hybrids and local races occur and sometimes they bloom also white. For species determination one has to take into account plant's habitus as well as small details like colour and type of the hairs on their stamens, shape of pistils, etc.Verbascum lychnitis is a species, which is very richly branched and has zillion shining bright yellow flowers on many branches and white hairs on flowers' stamens.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) D. Aeschimann, K. Lauber, D.M. Moser, J.P. Theurillat, Flora Alpina, Vol.2., Haupt (2004), p 194.(4) K. Lauber and G. Wagner, Flora Helvetica, 5. Auflage, Haupt (2012), p 904.(5) H. Haeupler, T. Muer, Bildatlas der Farn- und Bluetenpflazen Deutschlands, Ulmer (2000), p 427.