Orobanchaceae

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Orobanchaceae , or the broomrape family, is a family of flowering plants of the order Lamiales, with about 25 genera and more than 200 species. Many of these genera were formerly included in the family Scrophulariaceae s.l. Together they form a monophyletic group, forming a distinct family.

This is a cosmopolitan family, found mainly in temperate Eurasia, except South America, parts of Australia and New Zealand. There are only a few tropical, African and American species.

These are holoparasitic or hemiparasitic, annual or perennial herbs, growing on the roots of their host. The holoparasitic species are completely parasitic, lack chlorophyll and cannot perform photosynthesis. The hemiparasitic species (transferred from Scrophulariaceae) are capable of photsynthesis, while being parasitic.

Only few species posses an extensive root system. In most species there is a swollen mass of short, bulky roots or one big swollen organ, simple or composite. The roots are attached to their host by means of hooked haustoria, providing all the nutrients to the parasite.

They have reduced, somewhat fleshy, scaly, sessile leaves, These simple, lanceolate, oblong to ovate scales are small and alternate.

The hermaphroditic flowers are bilaterally symmetrical and grow in racemes or spikes, or grow singly at the apex of the slender stem . The tubular calyx is formed by 2-5 united sepals. There are five united, bilabiate petals forming the corolla. The upper lip is two-lobed, the lower lip is three-lobed. There are two long and two short [stamen]]s on slender filaments, inserted below the middle, or at the base of the corolla tube, alternating with the lobes of the tube. A fifth stamen is sterile or lacks completely. The anthers dehisce via longitudinal slits. The pistil is one-celled. The ovary is superior. The flowers are pollinated by insects.

The fruit is a dehiscent, non-fleshy, 1-locular capsule with many very minute endospermic seeds. These are dispersed by the wind over long distances, increasing their chances to find a new host.

The plants may be yellowish, brownish, purplish, or white but lack any green color, except the hemiparasitic parasites..

This family has no economic importance, except for some species being harmful to feed crops.

Genera

Lathraea has traditionally been placed in the Orobanchaceae, but has been transferred recently to the Scrophulariaceae.

• Aeginetia
• Bartsia (hemiparasitic)
• Bellardia
• Boschniakia  : Groundcone
• Castilleja : Indian Paintbrush (hemiparasitic)
• Christisonia
• Cistanche
• Conopholis  : Cancer-root
• Cordylanthus  : Bird's-beak
• Epifagus  : Beechdrops
• Erinus (hemiparasitic)
• Euphrasia (hemiparasitic)
• Gleadovia
• Kopsiopsis
• Mannagettaea
• Melampyrum (hemiparasitic)
• Necranthus
• Odontites (hemiparasitic)
• Orobanche : Broomrape
• Orthocarpus  : Owl's Clover (hemiparasitic)
• Parentucellia (hemiparasitic)
• Pedicularis  : Lousewort (hemiparasitic)
• Phacellanthus
• Phelypaea (hemiparasitic)
• Platypholis
• Rhinanthus (hemiparasitic)
• Triphysaria
• Xylanche