BROOM-RAPE TRIBE 275 



and dingy line. Many, on first looking on it, have believed it to be the 

 remains of a flower from which the summer's sun had withered away all the 

 beauty. The stem, swollen at the base, would lead one to suppose it to be 

 the crown of the root, and the scales upon the stem serve on the upper 

 poi'tion as bracts, one occurring under each corolla. Stem, scales, and flowers, 

 all have much similarity in hue, being tinted with reddish-l)rown ; but the 

 blossoms have besides a tinge of purj)lc and dull yellow. They grow in a 

 long close spike, expanding from May to July. We have seen specimens of 

 the plant two feet and a half high, and the stem thick as a walking-stick ; 

 but it is more commonly a foot, or a foot and a half in height. It is very 

 clammy to the touch. 



The Broom-rapes, of which there are several species, are very diflicult of 

 discrimination, and authors are much divided as to the exact number of really 

 distinct forms. Parasitic plants become much altered, too, by the substance 

 of the plants on which they feed, so that it requires much attention to 

 ascertain how far any distinctions are permanent. The whole family are 

 parasitic on the roots of other vegetables, each species preferring its own 

 peculiar aliment. It has been proved by experiments, that their seeds will 

 lie dormant in the soil for years, until the plant to which the species attaches 

 itself shoots out its roots near them, when they immediately seize upon 

 them, often to the very great detriment of the foster-plant. The Greater 

 Broom-rape is by no means unfrequent on gravelly heaths, selecting the 

 roots of various species of the Leguminous tribe, especially shrubby plants. 

 Mr. Loudon says, that any of the Broom-rapes may be made to grow in the 

 garden on the furze and broom ; and this large species is more often, when 

 wild, found on these than on any other plants. It has the old name of 

 Herha leonina. 



The Broom-rapes have all a degree of acridity, and some astringency and 

 bitterness. They were formerly used in medicines, and their juice was 

 believed to cure agues and toothache, and to remove freckles or sunburn. 

 They have in country places the old name of Strangleweed, and the species 

 are more or less frequent throughout Europe, as well as in other quarters of 

 the world. Sir Joseph Hooker found the Orohanche indica swarming in 

 Bengal over broad acres of flax and rape. The French and Italians call the 

 Broom-rape Orohanche ; the G-ermans Erbsenivarger ; and the Dutch, Leeuw- 

 staart. 



2. Clove-scented Broom-rape {0. caryophi/Udcea). — Sepals many- 

 nerved, lanceolate, equally 2-cleft, shorter than the tube of the corolla, 

 touching each other, or combined in front ; corolla bell-shaped, curved on 

 the back, upper lip broad, 2-lobed, lower 3-lobed, the segments blunt, nearly 

 equal, wavy ; stamens hairy below, above, together with the style, invested 

 with glandular down; stigma blackish-purple; perennial. This species is 

 very rare in this kingdom, being found only in South Kent, where it grows 

 on the roots of the great hedge bedstraw (Galiuni moJlugo). It occurs, 

 however, in some continental countries, and has been seen in Siberia and 

 Italy, and has attracted the attention of the Asiatic traveller on the mountains 

 of the Himalaya. The general habit and size of this plant is pretty much 

 the same as that of the Greater Broom-rape, but it ditTers from it in having 



35—2 



