COMMON BROOMRAPE |
OROBANCHE MINOR |
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| Fig 1 |
DESCRIPTION: Height up to 50cm. A drab looking species until one gets closer to inspect. The corolla is pale yellow and purple veined with the rear of the tube smoothly arched. The upper lip is notched to 2-lobed with the lower lip having 3 equal lobes. The filaments are hairy below, stamens are hairless, stigmas are purple and the general appearance of the overall spike is purplish-brown. DISTRIBUTION: More common in the south-east becoming rarer towards the north west. HABITAT: Parasitic on a variety of Legumes mainly Clovers. FLOWERING TIME: June to September. FURTHER INFO: The plant has astringent properties which have made it a useful plant for healing wounds. Culpepper stated that the plant can be useful in clearing out kidney stones, healing and cleaning sores and ulcers as well as being used to clear the skin of unwanted marks such as freckles and spots. |