Orobanche hederae
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Orobanchaceae
Genus: Orobanche
Species:
O. hederae
Binomial name
Orobanche hederae

Orobanche hederae, the ivy broomrape, is, like other members of the genus Orobanche, a parasitic plant without chlorophyll, and thus totally dependent on its host, which is ivy. It grows to 60 cm (2 ft), with stems in shades of brown and purple, sometimes yellow. The flowers are 10–22 mm (0.4–0.9 in) long, cream in colour with reddish-purple veins.[1]

Etymology

Orobanche is derived from Greek, and means 'bitter vetch strangler'. This name originates from the species Orobanche rapum-genistae, which parasitizes legumes. The name hederae means 'of ivy', in reference to its host plant, Hedera.[2]

Common names in English include ivy broomrape and chokeweed.[3] It is also called erva-toira da hera in Portuguese and orobanche du lierre in French.[4]

Description

Its yellowish to purplish stems are usually strongly swollen at the base and 15–60 cm (5.9–23.6 in) by 0.3–0.8 cm (0.12–0.31 in). They are covered in short soft glandular hairs. Leaves are acute and oblong to lance-shaped. It's calyx (sepals) are 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) with free segments that are entire or unequally bifid. Its dull-cream to reddish purple corolla (petals) is 10–22 mm (0.39–0.87 in). They are almost hairless and upright spreading to more or less patent. Filaments (stalks of the stamen) are inserted 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) above the base of the corolla. They are usually hairless but rarely somewhat hairy below. Fruit are 10–12 mm (0.39–0.47 in) capsules.[3]

In Mediterranean climates it flowers from late April to mid July.[3]

Distribution

Its native distribution matches that of its host, ivy, so it is mainly found in central and Northern Europe. In the US, it has been observed in a patch of invasive ivy at the University of California, Berkeley, near the life sciences building.[5]

Phylogeny

O. hederae is usually included in the "Orobanche" section of genus Orobanche. Phylogenetic studies suggest the amethyst broomrape (O. amethystea) is its closest relative. O. amethystea primarily parasitizes field eryngo (Eryngium campestre) which is in the order Apiales.[6][7]

Uses

The Greek physician Dioscorides wrote that the plant, called ὀροβάγχη, can be eaten raw or cooked like asparagus and also stated that cooking the plant with pulses makes the pulses cook faster. While Dioscorides doesn't include medicinal information in his description, Russian and Northern folklore both describe the plant as highly medicinal.[3]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Orobanche hederae.
  1. 1 2 Stace, Clive (2010), New Flora of the British Isles (3rd ed.), Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, pp. 660–663, ISBN 978-0-521-70772-5
  2. ↑ Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521866453 (hardback), ISBN 9780521685535 (paperback). pp 193, 284
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Orobanche hederae species description". Cretan Flora. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  4. ↑ "Orobanche hederae". EcoPort. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  5. ↑ "A peculiar parasite at Berkeley". In Defense of Plants. 30 April 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  6. ↑ Manen; Habashi; Jeanmonod; Park; Schneeweiss (November 2004). "Phylogeny and intraspecific variability of holoparasitic Orobanche (Orobanchaceae) inferred from plastid rbcL sequences". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 33 (2): 482–500. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2004.06.010. PMID 15336681.
  7. ↑ Schneeweiss; Colwell; Park; Jang; Stuessy (February 2004). "Phylogeny of holoparasitic Orobanche (Orobanchaceae) inferred from nuclear ITS sequences". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 30 (2): 465–478. doi:10.1016/S1055-7903(03)00210-0. PMID 14715236.
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