The Scrophulariaceae are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the figwort family. The plants are annual and perennial herbs, as well as one genus of shrubs. Flowers have bilateral (zygomorphic) or rarely radial (actinomorphic) symmetry. The Scrophulariaceae have a cosmopolitan distribution, with the majority found in temperate areas, including tropical mountains. The family name is based on the name of the included genus Scrophularia L.
The Juglandaceae are a plant family known as the walnut family. They are trees, or sometimes shrubs, in the order Fagales. Members of this family are native to the Americas, Eurasia, and Southeast Asia.
Orobanchaceae, the broomrapes, is a family of mostly parasitic plants of the order Lamiales, with about 90 genera and more than 2000 species. Many of these genera were formerly included in the family Scrophulariaceae sensu lato. With its new circumscription, Orobanchaceae forms a distinct, monophyletic family. From a phylogenetic perspective, it is defined as the largest crown clade containing Orobanche major and relatives, but neither Paulownia tomentosa nor Phryma leptostachya nor Mazus japonicus.
Pedicularis is a genus of perennial green root parasite plants currently placed in the family Orobanchaceae.
Pedicularis densiflora, known commonly as Indian warrior or warrior's plume, is a plant in the family Orobanchaceae.
A parasitic plant is a plant that derives some or all of its nutritional requirement from another living plant. They make up about 1% of angiosperms and are found in almost every biome. All parasitic plants have modified roots, called haustoria, which penetrate the host plant, connecting them to the conductive system – either the xylem, the phloem, or both. For example, plants like Striga or Rhinanthus connect only to the xylem, via xylem bridges (xylem-feeding). Alternately, plants like Cuscuta and Orobanche connect only to the phloem of the host (phloem-feeding). This provides them with the ability to extract water and nutrients from the host. Parasitic plants are classified depending as to the location where the parasitic plant latches onto the host and the amount of nutrients it requires. Some parasitic plants are able to locate their host plants by detecting chemicals in the air or soil given off by host shoots or roots, respectively. About 4,500 species of parasitic plant in approximately 20 families of flowering plants are known.
Triphysaria is a genus of five plants in the family Orobanchaceae which are known generally as owl's-clovers. This genus is closely related to the genera Castilleja and Orthocarpus. Triphysaria are native to western North America, including a species endemic to California.
Boschniakia is a genus of parasitic plants in the family Orobanchaceae. They are known commonly as groundcones and they are native to western North America and extreme northeastern Asia. Some taxonomists consider Boschniakia to be three separate genera: Boschniakia, Kopsiopsis, and Xylanche. When the genus is split, only a single species remains: Boschniakia rossica, the northern groundcone.
Cordylanthus maritimus is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae known by the common names salt marsh bird's beak and Point Reyes bird's beak. It is sometimes referred to as Chloropyron maritimum.
Cordylanthus rigidus is a species of flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae known by the common name stiffbranch bird's beak.
Kopsiopsis hookeri is a species of parasitic plant in the family Orobanchaceae known by as Vancouver groundcone or small groundcone.
Orobanche minor, the hellroot, common broomrape, lesser broomrape, small broomrape or clover broomrape, is a holoparasitic flowering plant belonging to the genus Orobanche; a genus of about 150 non-photosynthetic plants that parasitize other autotrophic plants.
Orobanche pinorum is a species of broomrape known by the common name conifer broomrape. It is native to the forests of western North America, where it is a parasite growing attached to the roots of other plants, usually Holodiscus species. This plant has an erect stem with a wide, thickened base and slender top growing 10–30 centimetres (3.9–11.8 in) tall. As a parasite taking its nutrients from a host plant, it lacks leaves and chlorophyll and is brownish or yellowish in color. The inflorescence is a dense, spreading array of purple-tinged yellowish flowers 1–2 centimetres (0.39–0.79 in) long.
Triphysaria versicolor is a species of flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae known by the common name yellowbeak owl's-clover.
Boschniakia rossica, commonly known as the northern groundcone, is a holoparasitic plant that lives in the northern latitudes of the northern hemisphere. In the Pacific Northwest Temperate Rainforest, it does not grow south of Prince of Wales Island, beyond that boundary is the Vancouver groundcone habitat. It does not contain chlorophyll, so it must be parasitic to obtain nutrients. It specializes on Alnus species, but can parasitize off of other trees and shrubs such as on Betula (birch), Salix (willow), Vaccinium (blueberry), Picea (spruce), and Chamaedaphne. This organism is likely to be found at mid elevations alongside rivers and streams, where moisture is abundant. This species propagates itself through water flow. In some places bears are known to have eaten the starchy roots, or tubers, of this plant.
Aureolaria pedicularia, the fernleaf yellow false foxglove, fern-leaved false foxglove, or fernleaf false foxglove, is a parasitic plant of the family Orobanchaceae. Aureolaria pedicularia is native to parts of the eastern US, the Midwest, and adjacent Canada. This plant is known for its distinct leaf shape and overall plant size. The common names for Aureolaria pedicularia come from its fern-like leaves.
Aeginetia is a genus of plants in the broomrape family Orobanchaceae, native mostly to tropical Asia.
Hyobanche are a genus of flowering plants in the broomrape family Orobanchaceae, native to southern Africa. They are root parasites that cannot perform photosynthesis, and are only observed above ground when flowering.
Kopsiopsis is a small genus of flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae native to North America.
Xylanche himalaica is a species of flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae native to Asia. It was first formally named as Boschniakia himalaica in 1884 and transferred to the genus Xylanche in 1893. It is the only species in the genus Xylanche.
