Orobanche

Last updated

Broomrape
Orobanche uniflora 3303f.JPG
Naked broomrape ( Orobanche uniflora )
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Orobanchaceae
Tribe: Orobancheae
Genus: Orobanche
L.
Synonyms [1]
List
  • AphyllonMitch.
  • BoulardiaF.W.Schultz
  • CatodiacrumDulac
  • CeratocalyxCoss.
  • ChorobancheC.Presl
  • GymnocaulisNutt.
  • KopsiaDumort.
  • LoxanthesRaf.
  • MyzorrhizaPhil.
  • NecranthusGilli
  • OrobanchellaPiwow., M.Nobis & Madeja
  • PhelipanchePomel
  • PlatypholisMaxim.
  • ThalesiaRaf. ex Britton

Orobanche, commonly known as broomrape, is a genus of almost 200 species of small parasitic herbaceous plants, mostly native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. [2] It is the type genus of the broomrape family Orobanchaceae.

Contents

Description

Broomrapes are generally small, only 10–60 centimetres (4–24 inches) tall depending on species. They are best recognized by the yellow- to straw-coloured stems completely lacking chlorophyll, bearing yellow, white, or blue snapdragon-like flowers. The flower shoots are scaly, with a dense terminal spike of 10-20 flowers in most species, although single in one-flowered broomrape (Orobanche uniflora). The leaves are merely triangular scales. The seeds are minute, tan or brown, blackening with age. These plants generally flower from late winter to late spring. When they are not flowering, no part of the plants is visible above the surface of the soil.

Parasitism

As they have no chlorophyll, the broomrapes are totally dependent on other plants for nutrients. Broomrape seeds remain dormant in the soil, often for many years, until stimulated to germinate by certain compounds produced by living plant roots. [3] Broomrape seedlings put out a root-like growth, which attaches to the roots of nearby hosts. Once attached to a host, the broomrape robs its host of water and nutrients.

Some species are only able to parasitise a single plant species, and they are often named after the plant they parasitise, such as ivy broomrape (O. hederae) being restricted to parasitising ivy. Others can infect several genera, such as the lesser broomrape O. minor, which lives on clover and other related Fabaceae.

Branched broomrape Orobanche ramosa, native to central and southwestern Europe but widely naturalised elsewhere, is considered a major threat to crops in some areas. Plants that it targets are tomato, eggplant, potato, cabbage, coleus, bell pepper, sunflower, celery, and beans. In heavily infested areas, branched broomrape can cause total crop failure.

The bean broomrape Orobanche crenata , which targets the fava bean, has stems that are gathered and eaten in the Italian region of Apulia. [4]

Etymology

The generic name Orobanche comes from the Greek ὀροβάγχη (orobánkhē), from ὄροβος (órobos "bitter vetch") + ἄγχω (ánkhō (I) "strangle"). [5] [6] The common name "broomrape" comes from the English "broom" (a plant) + Latin rapum ('tuber'). [7]

Species

The following species are recognised in the genus Orobanche: [1]

Related Research Articles

<i>Rumex</i> Genus of plants

The docks and sorrels, genus Rumex, are a genus of about 200 species of annual, biennial, and perennial herbs in the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae. Members of this genus are very common perennial herbs with a native almost worldwide distribution, and introduced species growing in the few places where the genus is not native.

<i>Anthemis</i> Genus of flowering plants

Anthemis is a genus of aromatic flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, closely related to Chamaemelum, and like that genus, known by the common name chamomile; some species are also called dog-fennel or mayweed. Anthemis are native to the Mediterranean region and southwest Asia east to Iran. A number of species have also become naturalized in the United Kingdom and other parts of the world.

<i>Pilosella</i> Genus of flowering plants in the daisy family Asteraceae

Pilosella is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Some sources include it within the genus Hieracium.

<i>Orchis</i> Genus of orchids

Orchis is a genus in the orchid family (Orchidaceae), occurring mainly in Europe and Northwest Africa, and ranging as far as Tibet, Mongolia, and Xinjiang. The name is from the Ancient Greek ὄρχις orchis, meaning "testicle", from the appearance of the paired subterranean tuberoids.

<i>Draba</i> Genus of flowering plants

Draba is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Brassicaceae, commonly known as whitlow-grasses.

<i>Anthyllis</i> Genus of legumes

Anthyllis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. This genus contains both herbaceous and shrubby species and is distributed in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The most widespread and familiar species is A. vulneraria, a familiar grassland flower which has also been introduced to New Zealand.

<i>Asperula</i> Genus of flowering plants in the coffee family Rubiaceae

Asperula, commonly known as woodruff, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It contains 194 species and has a wide distribution area from Europe, northern Africa, temperate and subtropical Asia to Australasia.

<i>Orobanche alba</i> Species of flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae

Orobanche alba, also known by its common names thyme broomrape and red broomrape, is a holoparasitic plant of the broomrape family. It parasitises plants from the mint family.

References

  1. 1 2 "Orobanche L. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  2. ↑ Beck-Mannagetta, G. (1930) Orobanchaceae. In Engler, A. (ed.) Das Pflanzenreich 4: 1-348. (Engelmann:Leipzig).
  3. ↑ Yoder, J.I. (2001) Host-plant recognition by parasitic Scrophulariaceae. Current Opinion in Plant Biology 4:359-365.
  4. ↑ Luard, E. European peasant cookery, Grub Street, 2004, p.380
  5. ↑ Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science, Literature and Art (1868). Report & transactions. p. 256.
  6. ↑ ὄροβος, ἄγχω . Liddell, Henry George ; Scott, Robert ; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project.
  7. ↑ rapum . Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short. A Latin Dictionary on Perseus Project .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.