Verbascum thapsus
- noun
- /vərˈbæskəm ˈθæpsəs/
- Specialized
:
verbasco mayor
- Gardeners often admire Verbascum thapsus for its striking yellow flower spikes.
Examples
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In ancient times, Verbascum thapsus was used as a torch during special ceremonies.
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Many herbalists use Verbascum thapsus for its medicinal properties.
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The roadside was lined with tall Verbascum thapsus swaying gently in the breeze.
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The Verbascum thapsus grows wild in many areas of Europe.
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In ancient times, Verbascum thapsus was used as a torch during special ceremonies.
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Gardeners often admire Verbascum thapsus for its striking yellow flower spikes.
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The roadside was lined with tall Verbascum thapsus swaying gently in the breeze.
Synonyms
A tall plant with soft woolly leaves and spikes of yellow flowers used long ago as torches
A tall plant with soft woolly leaves and yellow flower spikes
A tall plant with hairy leaves and tall spikes of yellow flowers
A tall plant with soft, hairy leaves and yellow flowers
A tall plant with soft hairy leaves and bright yellow flowers
Surface Forms
Morphology
Verbascum + thapsus
This is a Latin binomial species name (a proper noun) rather than a compositional English phrase, so its referent ('great mullein' and its specific properties/uses) cannot be derived from the parts. One constituent ('thapsus') is not a known English word and 'Verbascum' only signals a plant genus, so a B1 learner who knows the parts would not reliably infer the full meaning or conventional uses.
Etymology
Verbascum thapsus is a tall, woolly plant whose dried flower stalks were once lit and used as a 'torch' in ancient ceremonies, so the image of a yellow, torch-like spike explains its old use as a light source.
