Sabão-de-Feiticeira (Verbascum capitis-viridis)

Annual or biennial plant of up to 1.2 m, rather woody at the base and largely unbranched. Leaves are obovate, ovate, up to 20 cm long and 6cm wide, with a short leaf stalk (basal larger than cauline leaves). Mainly arranged in a basal rosette and in the lower part of the flower stems. Flowers arranged in terminal clusters, yellow, occasionally with violet markings. Exclusive to Cape Verde, where it is distributed around the islands of Santo Antão, São Vicente, São Nicolau, Boavista, Maio and Santiago, although for São Vicente, Boavista and Maio, there are no recent sightings and it is considered extinct. Typical of semi-arid, subhumid and humid zones located near sea level and up to 1,600 m altitude, but more frequent above 400 m. Rather common in Santo Antão and, to a lesser extent, in São Nicolau and Santiago; however, it has been classified as Vulnerable, owing to population decline.