mullein
(ˈmʌlɪn)
Forms: 5–6 moleyne, (5 molyn, 6 molin, -en, -ayne), 6 mollen, mulleyn(e, 6–7 mullin, -eine, 6– (8–9 U.S.) mullen, 6– mullein.
[a. AF. moleine (F. moulaine, Cotgr.; molène, Littré), perh. a derivative of F. mol soft. Cf. mullet4.
The AF. word occurs in the 13th c. gloss ‘Tapsus barbatus, i. moleine, i. softe’ (Lat. Fr. Eng. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 556/31), and in Alphita (c 1450) as molayne. The OE. moleᵹn, explained as ‘mullein’ in dictionaries, appears to have meant ‘curds’.]
1. The common name of various species of the genus Verbascum, consisting of herbaceous plants with woolly leaves and an erect woolly raceme of yellow flowers: a. esp. V. Thapsus, common mullein or great mullein (torch mullein) mullein.
candlewick mullein: see candle-wick b.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 342/1 Moleyne, herbe tapsus. c 1450 ME. Med. Bk. (Heinrich) 120 Take molyn, & styue hit in good red wyn, & make a plaster. 1548 Turner Names of Herbs (E.D.S.) 79 Verbascum is called..in englishe Mullen higgis taper or Longe wurt. 1597 Gerarde Herbal ii. cclvi. 629 The male Mullein..hath broade leaues.., in the midst of which riseth vp a stalke..couered with the like leaues,..among which, taperwise are set a multitude of yellowe flowers... The female Mullein hath..white flowers. 1782 J. Scott Poet. Wks. 97 And golden spikes the downy mulleins rear. 1851 Mrs. Stowe Pearl Orr's Isl. 8 Only savins and mullens with their dark pyramids or white spires of velvet leaves, diversified the sandy wayside. 1866 Treas. Bot. s.v., Great Torch Mullein. |
b. Applied to other species of the same genus.
great mullein (
white mullein) or
hoary mullein,
V. Lychnitis.
purple mullein = moth mullein.
| 1578 Lyte Dodoens. i. lxxxi. 118 There be foure sortes of Mulleyne,..wherof y⊇ two first are white Mulleyne..: The third is blacke Mulleyne: The fourth is wilde Mulleyne. Ibid. lxxxii. 122 It may be called in English Purple, or Mothe Mulleyn. 1597 Gerarde Herbal ii. cclvii. 631 Of base Mullein. 1..Base white Mullein. 2..Base black Mullein. 1882 Garden 28 Oct. 377/1 The Purple Mullein..is an old garden favourite. |
c. Applied to similar plants of other genera.
† petty mullein,
Primula vulgaris and
P. veris.
† wild mullein or
woody mullein,
Phlomis fruticosa.
| 1578 Lyte Dodoens i. lxxxiii. 122 Of Petie Mulleyn or the kindes of Primeroses. 1597 Gerarde Herbal ii. ccliii. 625 Verbascum Mathioli. French Sage. Wilde Mullein, woodie Mullein, Mathiolus his Mullein... In English it is generally called French Sage, we may call it Sage Mullein. 1754 Catal. Seeds in Fam. Rose Kilravock (Spald. Club) 427 Phlomis (Sage-leaf Mullein). |
2. Short for
mullein moth (see 3).
| 1868 F. O. Morris Brit. Moths III. 30 Cucullia Verbasci. Mullein. 1869 E. Newman Brit Moths 430. |
3. attrib. and
Comb.: simple
attrib., as
mullein-leaf; similative, as
mullein-leaved adj.;
mullein foxglove, a wild plant of the
U.S. (see
quot.);
mullein moth,
shark, a moth,
Cucullia Verbasci, whose larva feeds upon the mullein plant;
mullein pink (see
quot.);
mullein tea, an infusion of mullein leaves;
mullein wave, the moth
Acidalia promutata.
| 1856 Gray Man. Bot. (1860) 292 Seymeria macrophylla (*Mullein-Foxglove). |
| 1873 E. S. Phelps Trotty's Wedd. Tour 259 Under a great soft *mullein leaf. |
| 1822 Hortus Anglicus II. 75 *Mullein-leaved Iron Wort. |
| 1827 J. F. Stephens Catal. Brit. Insects II. 102 *Mullein M[oth]. |
| 1846–50 A. Wood Class-bk. Bot. 192 Lychnis coronaria... *Mullein Pink. Rose Campion. |
| 1887 J. C. Harris Free Joe, etc. (1888) 193 She sent me word to make me some *mullein-tea. |
| 1832 J. Rennie Conspect. Butterfl. & M. 140 The *Mullein Wave (Ptychopoda incanata, Stephens). 1869 E. Newman Brit. Moths 80 The Mullein Wave (Acidalia promutata). |