206 OROBANCHE^E. {Orobanche. 



tion. Stamens 4, didynamous. Ovarium superior, l-celled, 

 seated in a fleshy disk, with 2 or 4 parietal polyspermous pla- 

 centae; style 1; stigma 2-lobed. Fruit capsular, enclosed 

 within the withered corolla, l-celled, 2-valved, each valve bear- 

 ing 1 or 2 placentae in the middle. Seeds indefinite, very mi- 

 nute ; embryo minute at the base of a fleshy albumen. — Her- 

 baceous leafless plants, groiving parasitically upon the roots of 

 other species. Stems covered with brown or colourless scales. 



1. Orobanche. Linn. Broom- rape. 



Calyx of two lateral, often combined and bifid segments, brac- 

 teated. Corolla ringent, 4 — 5-cleft. A gland at the base 

 of the germen beneath. Stigma capitate. Capsule 2-valved, 

 bearing numerous minute seeds, on parietal longitudinal re- 

 ceptacles. — Name, from o/>o/3os, a leguminose, or pea-like plant, 

 and ayxew, to strangle, the roots being often attached to 

 plants of that description are supposed to injure them. 



Didynamia. Angiospermia. 



1. O. major, Linn. Greater Broom-rape. Stem simple ; 

 corolla inflated; upper lip slightly notched; lower with acute, 

 nearly equal segments ; stamens quite smooth below ; style 

 downy. Br. Fl. 1. p. 291. E. Fl. v. iii. p. 146. E. Bot. t. 

 421. 



On the roots of broom and furze in bushy places. Plentiful near the 

 lake at Luggy-law ; at the Devil 's-Glen and Seven Churches, County 

 of Wicklow, &c. Fl. June, July. If.. — One to one foot and a half 

 high, leafless. Whole plant dingy purplish-brown, pubescent. Stem 

 swelling at the base and very scaly : scales more distant upwards and 

 becoming bracteas among the flowers ; one at the base of each. 

 Flowers in a long spike. Calyx of two lateral lanceolate leaves. 

 Corolla large. 



2. O. minor, Sm. Lesser Broom-rape. Stem simple; co- 

 rolla nearly cylindrical ; lower lip with curled segments, the 

 middle one largest and lobed ; stamens fringed ; style smooth. 

 Br. Fl. 1. p. 292. E. Fl. v. iii. p. 148. E. Bot. t. 442. 



Near the roots of ivy. South side of the hill of Howth, on steep 

 banks near the sea ; in Sir Robert Staple's woods, Queen's County ; 

 on the ruins of Mucruss Abbey, Killarney ; south Isles of Arran, and 

 plentiful in Palmerston and Leixlip woods. Fl. July, Aug. %. — 

 From one to one and a half foot high, more slender than the last. 

 Corolla not at all tumid, upper lip unequally notched. 



3. O. rubra, Sm. Bed Broom-rape. Stem simple; corolla 

 somewhat tumid, upper lip cloven, lower in three nearly equal 

 segments ; stamens fringed at the base ; style partially hairy ; 

 sepals lanceolate, undivided. Br. FL 1. p. 292. E. Fl. v. iii. 

 p. 148. E. Bot. t. 1786. 



On the decomposed trap-rocks at Cave-hill near Belfast ; Mr. Tem- 

 pleton. On the basaltic rocks at Magilligan, County of Deny. Fl. 



