12-05-2017, 07:10 PM
I've also been puzzling over why Verbascum in Plut. 73.16 is so different from the others.
Some possibilities that come to mind...
Maybe Plut 73.16 depicts a southern woolly mullein (Verbascum phlomoides). It's fuzzier than the other species of Verbascum and the yellow flowers that are typical of most of the tall mulleins have orange stamens, giving it a slightly different overall look.
There are also some that branch into multiple flower spikes, like Verbascum auriculatum and Verbascum nigrum.
Verbascum goes quite brown when dried as a herbarium specimen. It also turns brown when it is dipped in wax and used as a torch.
So... I'm not sure if any of these account for the drawing in Plut. 73.16, but it is interesting that they chose a different representation.
Some possibilities that come to mind...
Maybe Plut 73.16 depicts a southern woolly mullein (Verbascum phlomoides). It's fuzzier than the other species of Verbascum and the yellow flowers that are typical of most of the tall mulleins have orange stamens, giving it a slightly different overall look.
There are also some that branch into multiple flower spikes, like Verbascum auriculatum and Verbascum nigrum.
Verbascum goes quite brown when dried as a herbarium specimen. It also turns brown when it is dipped in wax and used as a torch.
So... I'm not sure if any of these account for the drawing in Plut. 73.16, but it is interesting that they chose a different representation.