GENUS 2. 



BROOM-RAPE FAMILY 



2. Orobanche minor J. E. Smith. Lesser 



or Clover Broom-rape. Herb-bane. 



Fig. 3879. 



O. minor J. E. Smith, Engl. Bot. pi. 422. 1797. 



Plant yellowish-brown; stem rather stout, sim- 

 ple, 4'-2o' high ; lower scales numerous, ovate- 

 oblong, the upper lanceolate, acute, scattered, 

 3"-io" long. Spike dense, or the lower flowers 

 separated, 3'-8' long; bracts i or 2, lanceolate, 

 equalling or longer than the flowers; flowers 

 5"-g" long; calyx split both above and below, 

 each of the lateral segments 2-cleft, the teeth lan- 

 ceolate-subulate; corolla-tube yellowish, scarcely 

 constricted above the ovary, the limb bluish. 



Parasitic on the roots of clover, New Jersey to 

 Virginia. Naturalized from Europe. Called also 

 devil's-root and hell-root. Strangle-tare. May-July. 



3. Orobanche ludoviciana Xutt. Louisiana 

 Broom-rape. Fig. 3880. 



Orobanche ludoviciana Nutt. Gen. 2: 58. 1818. 

 Aphyllon ludovicianum A. Gray, Bot. Cal. i: 585. 1876. 

 Mysorrhisa ludoviciana Rydb. ; Small, Fl. SE. U. S. 



1093. 1903. 



Stems stout, simple, solitary or clustered, viscid- 

 puberulent, 4'- 12' high, scaly. Flowers 6"-8" long, 

 very numerous in dense terminal spikes, i-2-bracteo- 

 late under the calyx; calyx 5-cleft, the lobes some- 

 what unequal, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, longer 

 than the corolla-tube, or shorter; corolla 2-lipped, 

 purplish, its tube narrow, about twice as long as the 

 limb, the teeth of its lips acute; anthers woolly; 

 capsule ovoid-oblong, shorter than the calyx. 



In sandy soil, Illinois to South Dakota, Saskatche- 

 wan, Nebraska, Texas, Arizona and California. Strangle tare. June-Aug. 



3. CONOPHOLIS Wallr. Orobanch. 78. 1825. 



An erect stout simple glabrous, densely scaly, light brown herb, parasitic on the roots of 

 trees, with yellowish flowers 2-bracteolate under the calyx, in a thick dense bracted spike, 

 the bracts similar to the scales of the stem. Calyx oblique, deeply split on the lower side, 

 3-4-toothed on the upper. Corolla strongly 2-lipped, the tube slightly curved, the upper lip 

 concave, nearly erect, emarginate, the lower spreading, 3-lobed. Stamens exserted; anther- 

 sacs bristly pubescent. Placentae about equidistant; stigma capitate, obscurely 2-lamellate. 

 Capsule ovoid-globose. [Greek, signifying a 

 scaly cone.] 



Three known species, the following typical one 

 of eastern North America, the other southwestern 

 and Mexican. 



i. Conopholis americana (L. f.) Wallr. 

 Squaw-root. Fig. 3881. 



Orobanche americana L. f. Suppl. 88. 1767. 

 Conopholis americana Wallr. Orobanch. 78. 1825. 



Plants 3'-io' high from a thickened base, light 

 brown, usually clustered, covered all over with 

 stiff imbricated scales. Upper scales lanceolate 

 or ovate, acute, 6"-io" long, the lowest much 

 shorter; flowers about $' long, exceedingly nu- 

 merous in the dense spike which is 6"-io" thick; 

 corolla pale yellow, somewhat exceeding the ca- 

 lyx; anthers sagittate; capsule ovoid-globose, 

 4"-5" high. 



In rich woods at bases of trees, Maine to On- 

 tario, Michigan, Florida, Alabama and Tennessee. 

 Cancer-root. Earth-club. Clap-wort. April-Aug. 



