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63.) SCROPHULARIACEAE - Figwort family

SCROPHULARIACEAE - Figwort family

VERBASCUM L.

  • Verbascum blattaria L. (Moth Mullein) / General Scarce Widely scattered introduction on disturbed ground, railway sidings, brown field sites and roadsides; predominantly around Bristol. Often only occurring as a casual but well-established in some places such as at Lamplighter's Marsh, Shirehampton where both the typical yellow and white form grow side by side.

  • Verbascum virgatum Stokes (Twiggy Mullein) /- General Rare A rare introduction of disturbed places including railway sidings and upon and at the bases of walls; usually only occurring as a casual but sometimes established.

  • Verbascum phoeniceum L. (Purple Mullein) 1911 General Extinct A native of south-eastern Europe; "A single plant...in Ashton Vale, 1911...C. Bucknall" (White, 1912); St Philip's Marsh in 1916 by M. Cobbe [says A.B. Cobbe as well on DB - check]; and Avonmouth Docks from 1928 - 1932 by C.I. Sandwith [BMAG].

  • Verbascum phlomoides L. (Orange Mullein) General Extinct Recorded at "St. Philip's Marsh, Bristol, 1907-9" (White, 1912); in a quarry at Tytherington in 1925 by I.M. Roper (Riddelsdell, 1948); garden weed at Clifton in 1931 by C.I. Sandwith; at Bath in 1962 by ? [BSBI record]; and most recently a single plant was found on a road verge at Easter Compton in 2000 by R.J. Higgins and J.P. Martin.

  • Verbascum densiflorum Bertol. (Dense-flowered Mullein) General Very Rare A very rare introduction; first recorded at Clevedon in 1987 by ?; two plants on disturbed ground along a woodland ride in Clevedon Court Woods in 1993 by D.T. Holyoak [these are likely the same location - check]; at Bath in 2010 by ?; and several plants were found along the side of a track north of Englishcombe, Bath in 2015 by H.J. Crouch.

  • Verbascum thapsus L. (Great Mullein) / General Frequent Widespread over the region in old quarries, railway cuttings, road verges, tracks, banks, grassy slopes, woodland clearings, brown field sites, and on walls. Also widely grown in gardens and frequently escapes onto pavements. As White (1912) noted it "produces an enormous quantity of seed. Many thousands must fail to reproduce the plant". White also gives High-taper as an additional name and Riddelsdell (1948) gives Aaron's Rod and Poor Man's Flannel as local Gloucestershire names.

[2011 record of V. hapsus from Tyntesfield Estate by M. Devlin clearly a slip for V. thapsus.]

  • Verbascum ovalifolium Donn ex Sims (which sspp.? - ssp. ovalifolium, ssp. thracicum (Velen.) Murb. - Kew) (Find common name! - Oval-leaved Mullein?) 1932 General Extinct A native of the Balkan Peninsula; recorded at Portishead Docks in 1932 by C.I. Sandwith and at Avonmouth Docks in 1934 by ? [BMAG].

  • Verbascum chaixii Vill. (Nettle-leaved Mullein) 1912 General Extinct "St. Philip's Marsh, Bristol, 1907-1911. Well established about some abandoned iron-works in Ashton Vale, Bedminster" (White, 1912); Ashton Gate in 1927 by C.I. Sandwith; Avonmouth Docks in 1929-1932 by C.I. Sandwith, H.J. Gibbons and I.W. Evans; recorded there again in 1939 by C.I. Sandwith; at Mangotsfield Railway Station in 1949 by C.I. Sandwith.

[Find out which subspecies the records belong.]

  • Verbascum nigrum L. (Dark Mullein) /- General Scarce A widely distributed but infrequent plant of road verges, banks and railway sidings on calcareous soils. A white-flowered form was found self-seeded from a flower bed at Castle Park in 2023 by D. Peters.

  • Verbascum boerhavii L. (Annual Mullein - iNaturalist, Boerhav's Mullein?) - [Sandwith, 1932] General Extinct A native of southern Europe; recorded at "St. Philip's Marsh, Bristol, 1907-9" (White, 1912).

["Another plant gathered at the same time and place may be V. lydium" - check.]

  • Verbascum sinuatum L. var. sinuatum (Wavy-leaved Mullein, Wavyleaf Mullein - GBIF, Scallop-leaved Mullein - Wikipedia) - [Sandwith, 1932] General Extinct "Plants probably belonging to this species, but less tomentose and with the radical leaves varying in form occurred at St. Philip's Marsh in 1906-1909." (White, 1912).

  • Verbascum speciosum Schrad. (Hungarian Mullein) - [Sandwith, 1932] General Very Rare A very rare introduction; grown in gardens for it's elaborate display and sometimes escapes. First recorded at "St. Philip's Marsh, Bristol, 1909" (White, 1912); at Wickwar in 1950 by ?; and there again in 1954 by E.P. Bury; several plants were found at Severn Beach in 2023 during a BNS meeting; and two large rosettes were spotted on stonework on the edge of the canal at Bath in 2024 by D. Pole [Bath Nats].

  • Verbascum pulverulentum Vill. (Hoary Mullein) General Very Rare Recorded at Walton Common in 1998 by F. Moulin [record on BSBI]; on Bath Road Retail Park in 2007 and 2008 by Environmental Assessment and Design and on Tickenham Hill in 2014 by A. Halpin.

[I don't buy these records. At least the last two.]

  • Verbascum lychnitis L. (ssp. lychnitis - Kew var. album (Mill.) Druce - Stace, NBN) (White Mullein) 1978 General Extinct Recorded on "Waste ground, St. Philip's, Bristol; about six plants in 1904, and at least as many in several succeeding seasons. Worle; Rutter's Hist. (1829). Worle; Miss Worsley in New Bot. G. Formerly at Milton near Worle; St. Brody, Fl. Weston. Banwell; Phytol., O.S. On some old walls at Beckington, where it was recorded by Sole a century ago; H.F. Parsons. Lyncombe, and near the river at Bathford; Dr. Davis in Fl. Bathon. 'Found by Dr. Davis and by no one else. Probably an escape from Mr. Haiviland's botanic garden at Bathampton;' Jenyns' Lecture, p. 59." (White, 1912); Avonmouth Docks in 1932 by C.I. Sandwith and I.W. Evans; there again in 1933 by C.I. Sandwith; and in 1938 by ? [BMAG]; at ? in 1978 by ? according to the Flora of the Bristol Region (2000); and last seen on Rust Lane at Kenn tip in 2003 by M. Evans.

[There appears to be more records on NBN.]

SCROPHULARIA L.

  • Scrophularia nodosa L. (Common Figwort) / Woodland Uncommon Widely distributed in woodland and on hedgebanks though never usually frequent in any one place, often only occurring as isolated clumps. White (1912) and Riddelsdell (1948) give Knotted Figwort as an alternative name.

  • Scrophularia auriculata L. (Water Figwort) / Wetland Frequent Appears to be far more frequent than Common Figwort in our area. Predominantly found on the sides of streams, rivers, pond margins and ditch-sides but also often found in drier environments where the soil is clay. It has even been found growing out of a wall twice in Bristol by D. Peters!

  • Scrophularia umbrosa Dumort. (Green Figwort) 1963 General Extinct "Has occurred once only as a casual near Twerton-on-Avon S. in 1897; S.T. Dunn." (White, 1912).

  • Scrophularia vernalis L. (Yellow Figwort) General Very Rare First recorded on Cranbrook Road, Redland, Bristol in 1932 by Mrs Bell (Sandwith, 1932). Recently found on University Road, Clifton in 2025 by D. Hawkins. [record mentioned in Nature in Avon 2025, 194]. [2 other BSBI records exist]

PHYGELIUS E. Mey. ex Benth.

  • Phygelius capensis E. Mey. ex Benth. (Cape Figwort) General Very Rare Grown in gardens and sometimes establishes on walls. First found at Bishopston, Bristol in 2017 by J.P. Martin.

  • Phygelius aequalis Harv. ex Hiern (Equal Cape Figwort?, River-bell - PlantZAfrica) General Very Rare The yellow-flowered cultivar 'Yellow Trumpet' was found growing out of a stone wall on Fishponds Road, Stapleton in 2024 by D. Peters.

CHAENOSTOMA Benth.

  • Chaenostoma cordatum Benth. (Bacopa) General Very Rare Very rare casual. Found at Ashley Down and along Welsh Back, Bristol city centre in 2016 by R.J. Higgins.

NEMESIA Vent.

  • Nemesia strumosa Benth. (Nemesia) General Very Rare Widely grown in planters and sometimes escapes. Record on Rust Lane at Kenn tip in 2003 by M. Evans; at ST57R in 2010s by ?; and at ST77R in 2020s by ? [BSBI records].

  • Nemesia denticulata (Benth.) Grant ex Fourc. (Toothed Aloha) General Very Rare Widely grown as a bedding plant in troughs and planters and occasionally escapes. Differs from N. strumosa by the presence of a conspicuous spur. A few plants were found at Cumberland Basin in 2022 during a BNS plant Hunt by C.M. Lovatt; a line of plants of various cultivars was found at the foot of a fenced of building on Broad Street, Bristol City Centre in 2025 by D. Peters and a single plant was found by R.J. Higgins at Cumberland Basin during a BNS Plant Hunt in 2026.

LIMOSELLA L.

  • Limosella aquatica L. (Mudwort) - Wetland Very Rare A very rare aquatic on the muddy margins of Chew Valley Lake, where it was first discovered in 1995 by T.W.J.D. Dupree. Historically also recorded from Siston Common in 1921 by H.J. Gibbons and C. Alden (Riddelsdell, 1948).

BUDDLEJA L.

  • Buddleja alternifolia Maxim. (Alternate-leaved Butterfly-bush) 1979 General Extinct Recorded at ST56 in 1970 by ? and ST57 in 1979 by ? [BSBI records].

  • Buddleja davidii Franch. (Butterfly-bush) / General Common A ubiquitous plant of urban settings. It would be impossible to imagine a brownfield site, ruin, railway line or building without the adorning presence of a Buddleja but this iconic species was only first recorded in our area from the Avon Gorge - "Established in the quarry under Durdham Down, and by the Avon under Leigh Woods on the Somerset side" (Sandwith, 1932) and remained relatively rare until the 1980s. It is one of a few plants whose common name is rarely ever used. So often promoted for being 'butterfly friendly' it has long been a quintessential plant of British gardens but it's invasiveness has had a detrimental effect on some of our rocky cliff habitats, usually safe from competition.

  • Buddleja davidii x B. globosa = B. x weyeriana Weyer (Weyer's Butterfly-bush) General Extinct Recorded at Beechen Cliff, Bath in 1990 by S. Miller.

[Is this trustworthy?]

  • Buddleja globosa Hope (Orange Ball-tree) General Very Rare A rare introduction; most often occurring as a planted relic or garden throwout but sometimes self-seeding and becoming established. First recorded in our region at Old Mills Batch in 2006 by H.J. Crouch and at Eastville in 2011 by C. & M.A.R. Kitchen.

[Confused by DB only has 2 records as NBN shows 17 records in our area.]

List:

  • Verbascum blattaria L. (Moth Mullein) / General
  • Verbascum virgatum Stokes (Twiggy Mullein) /- General
  • Verbascum phoeniceum L. (Purple Mullein) 1911 General
  • Verbascum phlomoides L. (Orange Mullein) General
  • Verbascum densiflorum Bertol. (Dense-flowered Mullein) General
  • Verbascum thapsus L. (Great Mullein) / General
  • Verbascum ovalifolium Donn ex Sims (which sspp.? - ssp. ovalifolium, ssp. thracicum (Velen.) Murb. - Kew) (Find common name! - Oval-leaved Mullein?) 1932 General
  • Verbascum chaixii Vill. (Nettle-leaved Mullein) 1912 General
  • Verbascum nigrum L. (Dark Mullein) /- General
  • Verbascum boerhavii L. (Annual Mullein - iNaturalist, Boerhav's Mullein?) - [Sandwith, 1932] General
  • Verbascum sinuatum L. var. sinuatum (Wavy-leaved Mullein, Wavyleaf Mullein - GBIF, Scallop-leaved Mullein - Wikipedia) - [Sandwith, 1932] General
  • Verbascum speciosum Schrad. (Hungarian Mullein) - [Sandwith, 1932] (several plants at Severn Beach in 2023 during a BNS meeting, two large rosettes spotted at Bath in August, 2024 by Dave Pole - Bath Nats) General
  • Verbascum lychnitis L. (ssp. lychnitis - Kew var. album (Mill.) Druce - Stace, NBN) (White Mullein) 1978 General
  • Scrophularia nodosa L. (Common Figwort) / Woodland
  • Scrophularia auriculata L. (Water Figwort) / Wetland
  • Scrophularia umbrosa Dumort. (Green Figwort) 1963 General
  • Scrophularia vernalis L. (Yellow Figwort) - found by David Hawkins on University Road at ST58077334 [record mentioned in Nature in Avon 2025, 194]. [2 other BSBI records exist] General
  • Phygelius capensis E. Mey. ex Benth. (Cape Figwort) General
  • Phygelius aequalis Harv. ex Hiern (Equal Cape Figwort?, River-bell - PlantZAfrica) General
  • Chaenostoma cordatum Benth. (Bacopa) - Rupert Higgins General
  • Nemesia stumosa Benth. (Nemesia) General
  • Nemesia denticulata (Benth.) Grant ex Fourc. (Toothed Aloha) - a plant was found by R.J. Higgins at Cumberland Basin during a BNS Plant Hunt in 2026 General
  • Limosella aquatica L. (Mudwort) - Wetland
  • Buddleja alternifolia Maxim. (Alternate-leaved Butterfly-bush) 1979 General
  • Buddleja davidii Franch. (Butterfly-bush) / General [It would be impossible to imagine a brownfield site, ruin, railway line or building without the adorning presence of a Buddleja but this iconic species was only first recorded in our area from the Avon Gorge in 1928.]

Species to add:

  • Verbascum boerhavii L. (Annual Mullein - iNaturalist, Boerhav's Mullein?) - [Sandwith, 1932] /
  • Verbascum sinuatum L. var. sinuatum (Wavy-leaved Mullein, Wavyleaf Mullein - GBIF, Scallop-leaved Mullein - Wikipedia) - [Sandwith, 1932] /
  • Verbascum speciosum Schrad. (Hungarian Mullein) - [Sandwith, 1932] (several plants at Severn Beach in 2023 during a BNS meeting, two large rosettes spotted at Bath in August, 2024 by Dave Pole - Bath Nats) /
  • Scrophularia vernalis L. (Yellow Figwort) - found by David Hawkins on University Road at ST58077334 [record mentioned in Nature in Avon 2025, 194]. [2 other BSBI records exist] /
  • Phygelius capensis E. Mey. ex Benth. (Cape Figwort) /
  • Chaenostoma cordatum Benth. (Bacopa) - Rupert Higgins /
  • Nemesia stumosa Benth. (Nemesia) /
  • Nemesia denticulata (Benth.) Grant ex Fourc. (Toothed Aloha) - a plant was found by R.J. Higgins at Cumberland Basin during a BNS Plant Hunt in 2026 /

Plants added by me:

  • Phygelius aequalis Harv. ex Hiern (Equal Cape Figwort?, River-bell - PlantZAfrica) /

Needs checking:

  • Verbascum blattarioides Lam. - [Brist. Fl. This is synonymous with V. virgatum ssp. virgatum which White records separately. Probably something else was intended.] check!