Melampyrum

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Melampyrum
Melampyrum nemorosum photo.jpg
Melampyrum nemorosum
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Orobanchaceae
Tribe: Rhinantheae
Genus: Melampyrum
L.
Species

about 20, see text.

Melampyrum saxosum Melampyrum saxosum Rodnei.jpg
Melampyrum saxosum

Melampyrum is a genus of about 20 species of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae known commonly as cow wheat. They are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. They are hemiparasites on other plants, obtaining water and nutrients from host plants, though they are able to survive on their own without parasitising other plants. [1]

Contents

Melampyrum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including the mouse moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis).

Phylogeny

The phylogeny of the genera of Rhinantheae has been explored using molecular characters. [2] [3] Melampyrum appears as a distant relative of other genera of Rhinantheae. It is the sister group of two clades: (i) Rhynchocorys , Lathraea , and Rhinanthus ; and (ii) the core Rhinantheae containing Bartsia , Euphrasia , Tozzia , Hedbergia , Bellardia , and Odontites .

Genus-level cladogram of tribe Rhinantheae.
   Rhinantheae   
         

  Melampyrum  

         

  Rhynchocorys  

         

  Lathraea

  Rhinanthus

  Core Rhinantheae  
         

  Bartsia sensu stricto ( Bartsia alpina )

         

  Euphrasia

         

  Tozzia

  Hedbergia
  (including Bartsia decurva + B. longiflora )

         

  Bellardia

         

  Neobartsia
(New World Bartsia)

  Parentucellia

  Odontites sensu lato
  (including Bornmuellerantha
  and Bartsiella )

The cladogram has been reconstructed from nuclear and plastid DNA molecular characters (ITS, rps16 intron and trnK region). [2] [3]

Taxonomy

Selected species

Related Research Articles

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Scrophulariaceae The figwort family of flowering plants

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<i>Lathraea</i> A genus of flowering plants in the broomrape family

Lathraea (toothwort) is a small genus of five to seven species of flowering plants, native to temperate Europe and Asia. They are parasitic plants on the roots of other plants, and are completely lacking chlorophyll. They are classified in the family Orobanchaceae.

<i>Odontites</i> Genus of flowering plants in the broomrape family

Odontites is a genus of flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae.

Paulowniaceae

Paulowniaceae are a family of flowering plants within the Lamiales. They are a monophyletic and monogeneric family of trees with currently 7 confirmed species. They were formerly placed within Scrophulariaceae sensu lato, or as a segregate of the Bignoniaceae.

Orobanchaceae Family of flowering plants known as broomrapes

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.

<i>Euphrasia</i> Genus of plants knowns as eyebrights

Euphrasia, or eyebright, is a genus of about 450 species of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae, with a cosmopolitan distribution. They are semi-parasitic on grasses and other plants. The common name refers to the plant's use in treating eye infections.

<i>Rehmannia</i> Genus of flowering plants in the broomrape family Orobanchaceae

Rehmannia is a genus of six species of flowering plants in the order Lamiales and family Orobanchaceae, endemic to China. It is the only member of the monotypic tribe Rehmannieae. Contrary to the immense majority of the taxa of Orobanchaceae, Rehmannia is not parasitic.

Resedaceae

Resedaceae is a family of mostly herbaceous dicotyledonous plants comprising 107 known species in 8 to 12 genera:

<i>Rhinanthus</i> A genus of flowering plants in the broomrape family

Rhinanthus (rattle) is a genus of annual hemiparasitic herbaceous plants in the family Orobanchaceae, formerly classified in the family Scrophulariaceae. The genus consists of about 30 to 40 species found in Europe, northern Asia, and North America, with the greatest species diversity in Europe.

<i>Bartsia</i> A genus of flowering plants in the broomrape family

Bartsia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae.

<i>Bellardia trixago</i> Species of flowering plants in the broomrape family

Bellardia trixago is a species of flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae. Only member of the monotypic genus Bellardia, it is known as trixago bartsia or Mediterranean lineseed. This plant is native to the Mediterranean Basin, but it is known in other places with similar climates, such as California and parts of Chile, where it is an introduced species and noxious weed.

<i>Parentucellia</i> Genus of flowering plants in the broomrape family

Parentucellia is a small genus of flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae containing about four species. They are known generally as glandweeds. The genus was named for Pope Nicholas V, whose surname was Parentucelli.

<i>Melampyrum arvense</i>

Melampyrum arvense, commonly known as field cow-wheat, is an herbaceous flowering plant of the genus Melampyrum in the family Orobanchaceae. It is striking because of the conspicuous spike of pink or purple terminal bracts which includes the flowers.

Rhinantheae A tribe of flowering plants in the broomrape family Orobanchaceae

Rhinantheae is a tribe with less than 20 genera of herbaceous plants in the family Orobanchaceae.

<i>Rhynchocorys</i> A genus of flowering plants in the broomrape family

Rhynchocorys is a small genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Orobanchaceae, formerly classified in the family Scrophulariaceae. It is native to Europe, Morocco and Algeria.

<i>Tozzia</i> Genus of flowering plants in the broomrape family Orobanchaceae

Tozzia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants within the broomrape family Orobanchaceae. It contains a unique species, Tozzia alpina.

<i>Hedbergia</i> Genus of flowering plants in the broomrape family

Hedbergia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants, initially classified in Scrophulariaceae, and now within the broomrape family Orobanchaceae. It contains a unique species, Hedbergia abyssinica. It is an afromontane genus, widespread in grasslands and scrubs of the mountains of tropical Africa, and known from Ethiopia, Zaire, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Nigeria, and Cameroons.

<i>Hedbergia decurva</i> Species of flowering plants in the broomrape family Orobanchaceae

Hedbergia decurva, formerly Bartsia decurva, is a species of flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae.

Hedbergia longiflora, formerly Bartsia longiflora, is a species of flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae.

References

  1. 1 2 Kim, K. and S. Yun. (2012). A new species of Melampyrum (Orobanchaceae) from southern Korea. Phytotaxa 42 48-50.
  2. 1 2 Těšitel, Jakub; Říha, Pavel; Svobodová, Šárka; Malinová, Tamara; Štech, Milan (2010-10-28). "Phylogeny, Life History Evolution and Biogeography of the Rhinanthoid Orobanchaceae". Folia Geobotanica. 45 (4): 347–367. doi:10.1007/s12224-010-9089-y. ISSN   1211-9520.
  3. 1 2 Scheunert, Agnes; Fleischmann, Andreas; Olano-Marín, Catalina; Bräuchler, Christian; Heubl, Günther (2012-12-14). "Phylogeny of tribe Rhinantheae (Orobanchaceae) with a focus on biogeography, cytology and re-examination of generic concepts". Taxon. 61 (6): 1269–1285. doi:10.1002/tax.616008.