Definition

Noun: 1. A common name for certain plants of the genus Verbascum: Specifically, it refers to plants, commonly called mulleins, characterized by their large, densely woolly or felt-like leaves and tall spikes of flowers.

Usage Notes

• "Flannel leaf" is a colloquial or common name, not a formal botanical term. Its use is primarily descriptive, highlighting the plant's distinctive soft, fuzzy foliage that resembles flannel fabric.
• It is most accurately used to refer to species within the genus, particularly the common mullein ().

Examples

• The dry hillside was dotted with the tall, yellow flower spikes of flannel leaf.
• Herbalists sometimes use the dried flannel leaf to make soothing teas.
• We identified the plant with the soft, grayish leaves as flannel leaf.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used attributively as a noun modifier (e.g., "flannel leaf plant," "flannel leaf extract").

Variants and Related Words

• Mullein (n): The more widely used common name for plants of the genus .
• Velvet plant (n): Another common name for mullein, also referring to the texture of the leaves.
• Verbascum (n): The formal Latin genus name for this group of plants.

Synonyms

• Mullein
• Velvet plant
• Torchweed (a name referring to its tall, torch-like flower spike)

Related Idioms or Phrases

• While there are no direct idioms, the plant's hardy nature and distinctive appearance have led to descriptive phrases like "standing tall as a flannel leaf" to describe something resilient and conspicuous.

Noun

1. any of various plants of the genus Verbascum having large usually woolly leaves and terminal spikes of yellow or white or purplish flowers