7. Orobanche
L. (broomrape)
Plants annual
(perennial elsewhere), holoparasitic, lacking chlorophyll, variously glabrous
to short-hairy and/or short glandular-hairy, the base sometimes somewhat
thickened, but not enlarged into a tuberous structure (tuberous-based
elsewhere), lacking coralloid roots or nearly so. Stems white to yellow,
yellowish brown, or brown, sometimes tinged with purple. Scale-leaves
relatively densely spirally alternate, appressed, lanceolate to ovate, broadly
or obovate. Inflorescences spikes, racemes, or the flowers 1 per stem, each
flower stalk subtended by a bract. Flowers with 2 small bractlets at the base
of the calyx or lacking bractlets. Cleistogamous flowers absent. Calyces
5-lobed (2–4-lobed elsewhere), the lobes usually longer than the tube. Corollas
variously colored, the tube somewhat curved or arching, the 5 lobes shorter
than the tube, usually papery, brown, and persistent at fruiting. Stamens 4,
usually included. Style included or slightly exserted, the stigma capitate to
slightly concave, somewhat 2-lobed. Fruits ovoid, tapering abruptly to the
persistent style, dehiscing longitudinally. About 150 species, nearly
worldwide.